A new study published in Scientific Reports examines seasonal soil respiration rates across four land use types in Ghana's semi-deciduous forest zone: forest, fallow, maize, and rice fields. Researchers measured soil CO2 efflux twice monthly over 13 months, finding that fallow and croplands had the highest respiration rates while forest plots consistently showed the lowest efflux. The study identifies soil organic matter, pH, moisture, and silt content as the strongest predictors of soil CO2 emissions. The findings underscore the importance of forest conservation and sustainable land management for mitigating CO2 emissions in tropical regions. With Ghana's AFOLU sector contributing 38.3% of national greenhouse gas emissions, the authors recommend policies supporting reforestation, agroforestry, and reduced soil disturbance to enhance soil carbon storage. The final regression model explained 58% of observed variability in soil respiration rates, providing baseline data for carbon budgeting in West African landscapes.
