Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Table 4.4
Global data of AGB of different mangrove species
Region
Location
Condition
or age
Species
ABG
(t ha
−
1
)
References
Australia
27
°
24
′
S,
Secondary
forest
A. marina
forest
341.0
Mackey (
1993
)
153
°
8
′
E
Thailand (Ranong
Southern)
9
°
N, 98
°
E
Primary
forest
Sonneratia forest
281.2
Komiyama et al.
(
1987
)
Sri Lanka
8
°
15
′
N,
Fringe
Avicennia
sp.
193.0
Amarasinghe and
Balasubramaniam
(
1992
)
79
°
50
′
E
1
°
10
′
N,
127
°
57
′
E
Indonesia
(Halmahera)
Primary
forest
Sonneratia forest
169.1
Komiyama et al.
(
1987
)
Australia
33
°
50
′
S,
Primary
forest
A. marina
forest
144.5
Briggs (
1977
)
151
°
9
′
E
French Guiana
4
°
52
′
N,
52
°
19
′
E
Matured
coastal
Lagucularia sp.,
Avicennia sp.,
Rhizophora sp.
315.0
Fromard et al. (
1998
)
South Africa
29
°
48
′
S,
Bruguiera
gymnorrhiza, A.
marina
94.5
Steinke et al. (
1995
)
-
31
°
03
′
E
French Guiana
5
°
23
′
N,
52
°
50
′
E
Pioneer
stage
1 year
Avicennia sp.
35.1
Fromard et al. (
1998
)
Western Indian
Sundarbans
21
°
43
′
08.58
″
Natural
forest
Sonneratia apetala
53.70
This study (average
of all selected stations
and seasons)
N
88
°
10
′
44.55
″
E
Central Indian
Sundarbans
22
°
16
′
33.79
″
Natural
forest
Sonneratia apetala
7.12
This study (average
of all selected stations
and seasons)
N
88
°
48
′
17.60
″
E
In contrast, at low latitudes, primary or mature
mangrove forests generally have high AGB. The
AGB is always low in temperate areas and may
be related to different climatic conditions, such as
temperature, solar radiation, precipitation and
frequency of storms.
It is interesting to note that AGB in man-
groves is primarily in
The mangrove ecosystem acts as a unique
sink of carbon. The magnitude or the quantum of
stored carbon in mangroves is a direct function of
stem biomass. The scatter plots computed to
evaluate the interrelationships between stored
carbon in the same three species (
S. apetala
,
E.
agallocha
) aboveground vegetative
parts highlight greatest dependency of stored
carbon on stem biomass (Figs.
4.7
,
4.8
and
4.9
).
Atmospheric carbon dioxide has increased
from 280 parts per million by volume (ppmv) in
the year 1880 to nearly 370 ppmv in the year
2000 (Houghton et al.
2001
). Most atmospheric
carbon dioxide resulting from fossil fuels will
be absorbed into the ocean, affecting ocean
chemistry. Question may arise at this point that
whether the rise in carbon dioxide level will
increase the potentiality of mangrove system to
and
A. alba
uenced by stem and not by
branches and leaves. A study conducted by Mitra
et al. (
2009
) on three dominant mangrove species
(
fl
Sonneratia apetala
,
Excoecaria agallocha
and
Avicennia alba
) in western and central Indian
Sundarbans clearly con
rms that stem biomass
(which is a direct function of DBH) is a unique
indicator of mangrove AGB unlike branches and
leaves that contribute substantially to litter
fall and less to permanent biomass (Figs.
4.4
,
4.5
and
4.6
).
