Abstract

Soil texture and precipitation influence soil organic carbon sequestration. This research measured soil texture to assess the potential for organic carbon sequestration in soils within agroforestry parklands, considering a gradient of rainfall levels. The study aims to provide site-specific recommendations to promote agroforestry as a strategy for mitigating climate change in Burkina Faso. Soil samples were collected from depths of 0-10 cm, 10-20 cm, and 20-30 cm within agroforestry parklands containing Vitellaria paradoxa C. F Gaertn (Karite) and Parkia biglobosa (Jacq.) Benth (Nere) trees. These parklands are located in Tougouri, Nobere, and Sokouraba, which correspond to the Sahelian, Sudano-Sahelian savanna, and Sudano-Guinean savanna zones, respectively. The clay, silt, and sand content in the soil were measured using the spectrophotometry infrared method. The soils from all sites exhibited a balanced texture. Clay content emerged as a key factor influencing soil organic carbon sequestration, with higher percentages found at Sokouraba (30.499 ± 0.456%) and Tougouri (30.980 ± 0.451%). This trend was also observed in the 10-20 cm (27.861 ± 0.474%) and 20-30 cm (31.759 ± 0.498%) soil layers at both Sokouraba and Tougouri. Given that precipitation plays a crucial role in soil organic carbon sequestration, the findings suggest that Sokouraba is a suitable candidate for promoting agroforestry as a climate change mitigation strategy.

Key words: Texture, mitigation, ecophysiology, agriculture, climate.