forest ecosystems. Analysis of variables that were expected to contribute
to the aboveground carbon offset additionality of this
indigenous plantation forest gave interesting results. One variable
that was expected to contribute to aboveground carbon offset
additionality, but did not, is woody species diversity. The results
indicated that secondary forests were not significantly different
from a majority of plantation forests in woody species diversity
in this tropical forest. The fact that mixed indigenous plantation
was one of these plantations, effectively eliminated woody species
diversity as a possible determinant of aboveground carbon offset
additionality. The acquisition of additional woody species by plantation
forests, which placed them at par with secondary forest
stands in woody species richness, was traced to earlier studies in
this forest by Farwig et al. (2009) and Otuoma et al. (2014). These
studies illustrated that natural forest succession is active in both
secondary and plantation forests of this tropical forest. Moreover,
Farwig et al. (2009) indicated that the recruitment of indigenous
tree species in the plantations of this tropical forest has progressed
to an extent that some monoculture plantations may be hard to
distinguish from secondary forest stands in the future. This observation
is consistent with those of other studies in tropical forest
ecosystems that have reported natural forest regeneration within
plantation forest stands leading to forest plantations that are extremely
rich in tree species diversityboveground carbon offset additionality in moist tropic