Predicting Global Patterns in Mangrove Forest Biomass

Abstract

Understanding spatial variation in carbon storage in natural habitats is critical for climate change mitigation efforts such as REDD. Terrestrial forests are being mapped with increasing accuracy, but the distribution of "blue carbon" in marine ecosystems remains poorly understood. We reviewed the literature to obtain field data on carbon storage and fluxes in mangroves world-wide. Using this material we developed a climate-based model for potential mangrove above-ground biomass (AGB) with almost four times the explanatory power of the only previous published model. From this model, we present the first ever global map of potential mangrove AGB and estimate a total global mangrove AGB of 2.83 Pg, with an average of 184.8 t ha −1 . Data on other carbon stocks and fluxes confirm the importance of mangroves in carbon accounting. The map highlights the high variability in mangrove AGB and indicates areas that should be prioritised for mangrove conservation and restoration.

Effects of different management regimes on mangrove ecosystem services in Java, Indonesia

“…Differences in biomass storage are explained by age and size, species composition, nutrient availability, tides, waves, temperature and precipitation (Alongi 2012). Hutchison et al (2013) modelled and mapped the potential global aboveground biomass (Figure 2) on the basis of climate variables and estimated the total global aboveground biomass in mangroves to be 2.83 Pg, with an average of 184.8 ton ha -1 .…”

“…However, while living biomass eventually reaches a dynamic equilibrium, waterlogged mangrove soils continuously keep on accumulating carbon, where it can be stored for centuries or even millennia (Hutchison et al 2013). A positive correlation between above-and belowground carbon with increasing mangrove tree diameter and length was demonstrated by Kauffman et al (2013).…”

Blue Carbon Stock of the Bangladesh Sundarban Mangroves: What could Be the Scenario after a Century?

“…However, the mangroves at the same time are also one of the most highly threatened ecosystems (Hutchison et al 2014). Almost one-third of world's mangroves have been lost in the past 50 years mainly due to conversion to aquaculture and agricultural fields (Alongi 2002) and this has led many scientists to believe that the entire mangrove community might become extinct by the end of the twenty-first century (Duke et al 2007).…”

Mangroves and people: Lessons from a history of use and abuse in four Latin American countries

“…Despite the high mangrove biomass found in the ETP (Hutchison et al, 2014), mangrove tree species diversity within the region is low relative to other regions (Box 2), making it particularly vulnerable to species loss, and consequently, the effects on human livelihoods and ecosystem services are expected to be greater than in other regions with higher diversity (as systems with higher regional species richness are argued to be more stable) (Worm et al, 2006). Moreover, the ETP suffers from significant gaps in protected area coverage compared to other regions such as the Caribbean, as well as little connectivity between existing protected areas (Guarderas et al, 2008).…”