Carbon Stocks in the Small Estuarine Mangroves of Geza and Mtimbwani, Tanga, Tanzania

Mangrove forests offer important ecosystem services, including their high capacity for carbon sequestration and stocking. However, they face rapid degradation and loss of ecological resilience particularly at local scales due to human pressure. We conducted inventory of mangrove forests to character...

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Main Authors: Edmond Alavaisha, Mwita M. Mangora
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2016-01-01
Series:International Journal of Forestry Research
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/2068283
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author Edmond Alavaisha
Mwita M. Mangora
author_facet Edmond Alavaisha
Mwita M. Mangora
author_sort Edmond Alavaisha
collection DOAJ
description Mangrove forests offer important ecosystem services, including their high capacity for carbon sequestration and stocking. However, they face rapid degradation and loss of ecological resilience particularly at local scales due to human pressure. We conducted inventory of mangrove forests to characterise forest stand structure and estimate carbon stocks in the small estuarine mangroves of Geza and Mtimbwani in Tanga, Tanzania. Forest structure, above-ground carbon (AGC), and below-ground carbon (BGC) were characterised. Soil carbon was estimated to 1 m depth using loss on ignition procedure. Six common mangrove species were identified dominated by Avicennia marina (Forsk.) Vierh. and Rhizophora mucronata Lamarck. Forest stand density and basal area were 1740 stems ha−1 and 17.2 m2 ha−1 for Geza and 2334 stems ha−1 and 30.3 m2 ha−1 for Mtimbwani. Total ecosystem carbon stocks were 414.6 Mg C ha−1 for Geza and 684.9 Mg C ha−1 for Mtimbwani. Soil carbon contributed over 65% of these stocks, decreasing with depth. Mid zones of the mangrove stands had highest carbon stocks. These data demonstrate that studied mangroves are potential for carbon projects and provide the baseline for monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) to support the projects.
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spelling doaj-art-68fec0c510c54d8ca1b7ef55d2cfcde12025-08-20T03:33:31ZengWileyInternational Journal of Forestry Research1687-93681687-93762016-01-01201610.1155/2016/20682832068283Carbon Stocks in the Small Estuarine Mangroves of Geza and Mtimbwani, Tanga, TanzaniaEdmond Alavaisha0Mwita M. Mangora1Institute of Resource Assessment, University of Dar es Salaam, P.O. Box 35097, Dar es Salaam, TanzaniaInstitute of Marine Sciences, University of Dar es Salaam, Mizingani Road, P.O. Box 668, Zanzibar, TanzaniaMangrove forests offer important ecosystem services, including their high capacity for carbon sequestration and stocking. However, they face rapid degradation and loss of ecological resilience particularly at local scales due to human pressure. We conducted inventory of mangrove forests to characterise forest stand structure and estimate carbon stocks in the small estuarine mangroves of Geza and Mtimbwani in Tanga, Tanzania. Forest structure, above-ground carbon (AGC), and below-ground carbon (BGC) were characterised. Soil carbon was estimated to 1 m depth using loss on ignition procedure. Six common mangrove species were identified dominated by Avicennia marina (Forsk.) Vierh. and Rhizophora mucronata Lamarck. Forest stand density and basal area were 1740 stems ha−1 and 17.2 m2 ha−1 for Geza and 2334 stems ha−1 and 30.3 m2 ha−1 for Mtimbwani. Total ecosystem carbon stocks were 414.6 Mg C ha−1 for Geza and 684.9 Mg C ha−1 for Mtimbwani. Soil carbon contributed over 65% of these stocks, decreasing with depth. Mid zones of the mangrove stands had highest carbon stocks. These data demonstrate that studied mangroves are potential for carbon projects and provide the baseline for monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) to support the projects.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/2068283
spellingShingle Edmond Alavaisha
Mwita M. Mangora
Carbon Stocks in the Small Estuarine Mangroves of Geza and Mtimbwani, Tanga, Tanzania
International Journal of Forestry Research
title Carbon Stocks in the Small Estuarine Mangroves of Geza and Mtimbwani, Tanga, Tanzania
title_full Carbon Stocks in the Small Estuarine Mangroves of Geza and Mtimbwani, Tanga, Tanzania
title_fullStr Carbon Stocks in the Small Estuarine Mangroves of Geza and Mtimbwani, Tanga, Tanzania
title_full_unstemmed Carbon Stocks in the Small Estuarine Mangroves of Geza and Mtimbwani, Tanga, Tanzania
title_short Carbon Stocks in the Small Estuarine Mangroves of Geza and Mtimbwani, Tanga, Tanzania
title_sort carbon stocks in the small estuarine mangroves of geza and mtimbwani tanga tanzania
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/2068283
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