Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to investigate the recommended species of bamboo
culms to be harvested for the production of charcoal. The objectives of the study
were; first, to compare the stand distribution of Bambusa vulgaris, Oxynanteria
abbyssinica and Bambusa vulgaris var. vitata; second, to estimate the aboveground
biomass and carbon storage in different components of the bamboo species; third, to
develop allometric models that can be used to estimate the aboveground biomass of
the bamboo species and fourth, to compare the fuel values of carbonized bamboo
species grown in the Bobiri Forest Reserve. Culms were classified and counted
according to their ages in five 0.01ha (10m×10m) sub-plots. Weights of components
of all 45 samples were taken. The total biomass and carbon storage were determined.
The stand density for B. vulgaris, B. vulgaris var. vitata and Oxynanteria abbyssinica
was 7071, 6267 and 3325 culmsha-1, respectively. The aboveground biomass stored in
B. vulgaris (115t ha-1) was 61% higher than in B. vulgaris var. vitata (71t ha-1) and
was 27-fold that of Oxynanteria abbyssinica. The carbon storage in B. vulgaris
standing in aboveground biomass was 50.76ha-1 which is 15%, 24%, 44%, 71% and
2.5% more than that of logged forest, unlogged forest intact swamp forest, degraded
forest and deforested areas, respectively, in Ghana. The diameter at breast height of
the bamboo culm predicted the aboveground biomass well with the R2 values in the
range 0.596 – 0.998. The gross calorific values of the raw culms were in the range of
16.22MJkg-1 to 17.23MJkg-1 and were comparable to the heating values of most
grasses and straws, tropical and sub-tropical tree species. Carbonized bamboo was
27%-557% higher in energy intensity than the raw bamboo. Intensification of bamboo
plantation and utilization in Ghana therefore could potentially contribute substantially
to carbon mitigation and sustainable energy production.
Description:
A Thesis in the Department of WOOD AND CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY,
Faculty of TECHNICAL EDUCATION, submitted to the School of Graduate Studies,
University of Education, Winneba in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the
award of the Master of Philosophy in Wood Science and Technology.
