Structure, above-ground biomass and dynamics of mangrove ecosystems: new data from French Guiana

Abstract

The article presents new results on the structure and the above-ground biomass of the various population types of mangroves in French Guiana. Nine mangrove stands were studied, each composed of three to ten adjoining plots with areas that varied depending on the density of the populations. Structural parameters and indices were calculated. Individuals representative of the three groups of taxa present were felled:Avicennia germinans (L) Stearn, Rhizophora spp., and Laguncularia racemosa (L) Gaertn. The trunks, branches and leaves were sorted and weighed separately. The biomass was obtained by determining the allometric relationships, the general equation selected being of the type y = a x, where the diameter (x) is the predictive variable. The total above-ground biomass varied from 31 t ha for the pioneer stages to 315 t ha for mature coastal mangroves, but with large variations depending on the structural characteristics at each site. The results place the Guianese mangroves among those with high biomass, although lower than those reported for Asia. Based on the relationships between structural parameters and standing biomass, in particular with the use of the "self-thinning rule", population dynamics models are proposed.

Ecological Variability and Carbon Stock Estimates of Mangrove Ecosystems in Northwestern Madagascar

“…The strong allometric relationships between tree height, diameter at breast height and biomass were used to estimate above-ground biomass and to calculate carbon stocks [111,112]. Equations were selected following a thorough review of the literature and expert advice ( Table 2).…”

Radarsat-2 Backscattering for the Modeling of Biophysical Parameters of Regenerating Mangrove Forests

“…The allometric equations proposed by Fromard et al [49] for the mangroves of French Guiana were used to estimate the AGB of the study area. There are no specific allometric equations for mangrove trees along the coast of the Brazilian Amazon.…”

“…There are no specific allometric equations for mangrove trees along the coast of the Brazilian Amazon. When developing Equations (1) to (4), Fromard et al [49] indicated that the independent variable DBH was used because it is a parameter that can be measured for all individuals more accurately than height. …”

The Okmulgee, Oklahoma fossil flora, a Mazon Creek equivalent: Spatial conservatism in the composition of Middle Pennsylvanian wetland vegetation over 1100km

“…Coastal regions of the modern tropics also may be quite homogeneous and taxonomic similarity over large areas has been noted: consider the low diversity of coastal fringe mangrove communities (Fromard et al, 1998;Ukpong, 2000), or the assemblages dominated by Montrichardia arborescens described by Pfefferkorn et al (2001) from both the Amazon and Orinoco deltas. This lends support to hypotheses such as that of Falcon-Lang (2009) that Macroneuropteris scheuchzeri or some populations thereof, may have been mangroves or had wide tolerances of disturbance and salinity.…”