Carbon storage in the branchless trunk of the black mangrove Avicennia germinans (L.) in the mangroves of the Gulf of Mexico.

Abstract

Objective: To estimate the aboveground biomass and carbon storage of black mangrove (Avicennia germinans).

Design/methodology/approach: Field measurements were conducted at 24 monitoring sites within the UMA, each encompassing 30 × 10 meter plots. Tree height and diameter at breast height (DBH) of A. germinans were recorded to estimate aboveground biomass using established allometric equations. Simulations and correlation analysis were performed using Wolfram Mathematica® software.

Results: Carbon storage was derived by applying a biomass-to-carbon conversion factor. The average aboveground biomass across the study sites was 41.04 Mg·ha⁻¹, corresponding to an average carbon stock of 19.70 MgC·ha⁻¹. The simulation yielded a coefficient of determination (R²) of 0.734465. Limitations/implications: The study did not comprehensively account for environmental variables such as salinity, water level, and temperature, which may significantly influence biomass accumulation and carbon storage estimates.

Findings/conclusions: The results underscore the role of A. germinans in climate change mitigation, highlighting its substantial carbon sequestration potential within the mangrove ecosystems of the Gulf of Mexico.