Tree biomass and carbon stock of a community‐managed mangrove forest in Bohol, Philippines

Abstract

Mangrove plays a significant role in climate change mitigation particularly in carbon absorption and minimizing the detrimental impacts of sea level rise, saltwater intrusion and tidal surges. In Bohol Province, Philippines, a small coastal island community known as Banacon is one of the successful cases in mangrove reforestation. Recognizing the site's potential for a carbon sequestration project, a biomass and carbon stock assessment of mangrove trees was done. Using standard sampling techniques and allometric equations, tree carbon storage was measured across stand ages, namely 15-, 20-and 40-year-old plantations. Mature natural stands were also included in the assessment. By estimate, the 40-year-old plantation has the largest carbon density with 370.7 ton ha 71 , followed by the 15-year-old plantation with 208.5 ton ha 71 , 20-year-old plantation with 149.5 ton ha 71 , and lastly by natural stand with 145.6 ton ha 71. Overall, Banacon mangroves are in a vigorous condition of storing vast amount of carbon. Local community and government should therefore sustain their commitment in coastal reforestation activities in order to enhance the mangrove carbon stocks. Policies and programs that can help provide incentives and livelihoods to local people who are largely dependent on mangroves should likewise be explored in order to sustainably reap the economic and ecological benefits of conserving mangrove forest.

Carbon Stocks in Natural and Planted Mangrove forests of Mahanadi Mangrove Wetland, East Coast of India

“…The overall mean BGB biomass is 53.8  4.5 t/ha (C-stock of 26.9  2.2 t-C/ha), while plantation stands is 55.7  9.8 t/ha (C-stock of 27.98  4.9 t/ha) and natural stands is 53.3  5.2 t/ha (C-stock of 26.6  2.6 t-C/ha). The values of mean BGB and carbon stock (53.8  4.5 t-C/ha and 26.9  2.2 t-C/ha respectively) in MMW show comparatively higher C-stock than mangrove forests in Northern Vietnam 42 , southern China 43 and Tamil Nadu (India) 13 . But, in the present study C-stock value is much lower than that in mangrove forests in Bahile (Philippines) 44 , Bohol (Philippines) 13 and Yap 45 .…”

“…The values of mean BGB and carbon stock (53.8  4.5 t-C/ha and 26.9  2.2 t-C/ha respectively) in MMW show comparatively higher C-stock than mangrove forests in Northern Vietnam 42 , southern China 43 and Tamil Nadu (India) 13 . But, in the present study C-stock value is much lower than that in mangrove forests in Bahile (Philippines) 44 , Bohol (Philippines) 13 and Yap 45 . The above-ground and below-ground biomass ratio (T/R ratio) for the present study ranged from 2.0 to 2.6, or an average of 2.3.…”

“…The range of overall AGB in the present study (67. 8 17 and the Philippines 13 . The BGB carbon pool contributes about 18% of the total carbon pool.…”

“…Considering the importance of mangroves in carbon sequestration and climate change mitigation, the present study was undertaken to assess biomass and soil carbon stock in natural as well as plantation stands in MMW. Comparison of C-stock in natural stands with plantations is rare 13 , which would provide baseline information for carbon stock enhancement programmes. Here an attempt is made to estimate the ecosystem carbon stock in a mangrove forest ecosystem.…”

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

“…Mangrove ecosystems also support high floral and faunal biodiversity [9,[12][13][14] and sequester significant amounts of CO 2 [15,16]. While numerous studies have measured above-ground biomass in mangrove trees (e.g., [17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26]), comparatively few have quantified above-and below-ground carbon (C) pools, including soil (i.e., [15,[27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34]); however, it is the deep, organic material enriched soils that contain the vast majority of C stocks [35][36][37][38]. Factoring in soil, mangroves have been found to be amongst the most carbon-dense forests in the tropics, with similar or greater above-and exceptionally larger below-ground stocks compared with the terrestrial systems reported in several studies [15,27,[32][33][34]39].…”