Carbon Sequestration in an Urban Green Area of the Brazilian Semiarid: A Case Study on the Role of Woody Flora in Timbaúbas Municipal Natural Park

Urban green areas, such as public parks, are scarce in cities within the Brazilian semiarid interior. This study aimed to analyze the woody biodiversity and its carbon sequestration efficiency in the Timba & uacute;bas Municipal Natural Park, an urban green area in Juazeiro do Norte, Northeast Brazil. Carbon stock was quantified using two methods: (a) direct analysis of organic matter and carbon content in leaves, stems, and branches of species with the highest Importance Value Index (IVI) via dry combustion; and (b) indirect estimation using structural data to calculate biomass. We sampled 100 individuals from 25 species across 9 families, with a predominance of Fabaceae, Arecaceae, and Anacardiaceae. The Shannon (H') and Pielou (J') indices were 2.82 and 0.87, respectively. Average carbon content ranged from 49.22% to 58% across different compartments. Enterolobium contortisiliquum stood out with high organic matter (99.19%) and carbon content (57.67%) in branches, while Astronium fraxinifolium showed the highest overall values (99.81% OM; 57.18% C). The total estimated biomass was 196.8 t/ha, corresponding to 88.56 t/ha of stored carbon and 325 t/ha of absorbed CO2. These results highlight the potential of woody flora in mitigating GHG emissions and provide essential data for sustainable urban planning and conservation strategies in the Brazilian semiarid region.