Mangrove forest as compensation of carbon emission in tropical regions

Mangroves ecosystem lays along tropical coastlines that has great ecological
functions, one of them is as a carbon storage. Mangroves absorb carbon in an
impressive rate. It stores almost three times of carbon comparing to three other global
forest domains (boreal, temperate, tropical upland) (Donato, et al. 2011). However, the
amount of mangrove forests has declined by 3050% over the past half century as a
result of coastal development, aquaculture expansion and over-harvesting (Duke, N. C.
et al. 2007). This decline was triggered by harvesting that is use for firewood,
construction wood, wood chip and pulp production, charcoal production, animal fodder
(Spalding, 2013). Therefore, the uses of harvested mangroves are most likely to be
short terms carbon storage. Regarding to the significance of mangrove ecosystem, we
are able use a model to predict how much CO 2 that is stored if we prevent loss of
certain unit area or if we plant more area of mangrove forest. Consequently, the carbon
emission produced by deforestation in tropical forest can be compensated by the
carbon storage in mangroves.
The background of using mangroves ecosystem as an emission compensation is
because this forest is relatively cheap to be restored and conserved. The costs for
restoring successfully both the vegetative cover and ecological functions of a mangrove
forest have been reported to range from USD$225/ha to USD$216,000/ha (Lewis,
2001).

growth
C atmosphere

growth growth
C roots
C leaves C stem
growth
mortality

C C
aboveground mortality underground

harvesti harvesti
ng ng

C
Harvested
References:
Donato, Daniel C., et al. "Mangroves among the most carbon-rich forests in the
tropics." Nature geoscience 4.5, 293-297 (2011).
Duke, N. C. et al. A world without mangroves? Science 317, 4142 (2007).
Lewis, Roy R. "Mangrove restoration-Costs and benefits of successful ecological
restoration." Proceedings of the Mangrove Valuation Workshop, Universiti Sains
Malaysia, Penang. 2001.
Spalding, Mark. "Science: Mangrove Forests As Incredible Carbon Stores". Cool
Green Science. N.p., 2013. Web. 10 Jan. 2017.

Need info of:

How much emission produced by the deforestation in tropics:
Estimates of carbon emissions from deforestation require information on both the quantity of
forest loss over time and the changes in carbon stocks on land that is cleared (Harris, Nancy L.,
et al. "Baseline map of carbon emissions from deforestation in tropical regions." Science
336.6088 (2012): 1573-1576.)
Deforestation contributes 617% of global anthropogenic CO2 emissions to the
atmosphere (Van der Werf, Guido R., et al. "CO2 emissions from forest loss." Nature
geoscience 2.11 (2009): 737-738.)
mangrove forests has declined by 3050% over the past half century as a result of
coastal development, aquaculture expansion and over-harvesting (Duke, N. C. et al. A
world without mangroves? Science 317, 4142 (2007)

Comparison of mangrove C storage (mean 95% confidence interval) with that of

major global forest domains. Mangroves have larger C storage than three others
global forest domain. (Donato, Daniel C., et al. "Mangroves among the most carbon-rich
forests in the tropics." Nature geoscience 4.5 (2011): 293-297.)

Challenges:
How is the growth rate?
Does it need to be harvested? (I want to show that if it is not harvested then it will be a good
carbon sink, you know) hehehe

Mangrove forest as compensation of carbon emission in tropical regions

A typical mangrove has 152 tons of aboveground biomass per hectare,

- (nature.org)
 Global mangrove map showing modeled patterns of above-ground
biomass per unit area. (Source: hutchison, 2013)