Abstract
Mangroves are one of the main considerations that might be used to mitigate the effects of climate change in coastal areas. Mangrove populations can be affected by industrial and civil activities on coasts. According to the Kyoto Protocol, protection and rehabilitation programs may play a pivotal role in conserving mangroves in industrial areas. Therefore, this study was designed to examine and evaluate the possible impact of conservation plans, implemented by the Royal Commission of Yanbu, in preserving mangrove trees’ ability to store carbon in the soil. Soil and plant samples were collected from three distinct locations, including a mangrove conservation site in Yanbu and natural unprotected sites in Umluj and Ar-Rayis. Organic-carbon (OC) stock, in both soil and plants, was calculated. Our results showed that at different depths, soil bulk density (SBD) in Yanbu ranged between 0.32–0.94 g cm−3. In Ar-Rayis and Umluj, SBD ranged between 1.43 to 1.99 and 0.90 to 1.57g cm−3, respectively. The average SBD values in Yanbu, Umluj, and Ar-Rayis were 0.68, 1.71, and 1.20 g cm−3, respectively. Similarly, the average soil OC density in Yanbu, Umluj, and Ar-Rayis was 165.19, 30.82, and 18.90 g C cm−3, respectively. Generally, the conserved mangrove tress grown in Yanbu industrial city showed higher (P ≤ 0.001) soil OC stock (0.39 t C ha−1) compared to the unprotected trees grown in Umluj (0.12 t C ha−1) and Ar-Rayis (0.11 t C ha−1) cities. Similarly, the highest (P ≤ 0.001) plant OC stocks (13.93 t C ha−1) were observed in protected mangroves of Yanbu, compared to the plant OC stocks observed in Umluj (8.06 t C ha−1) and Ar-Rayis (8.80 t C ha−1) cities. The results of the current study showed that the protected mangrove trees grown in Yanbu industrial city store more carbon in their sediments than those grown in the Umluj and Ar-Rayis sites without conservation or rehabilitation. These findings may provide evidence for the beneficial role of protecting mangrove forests in mitigating the effects of climate change.
Highlights
Carbon sequestration and storage is defined as the physical, chemical, and/or biological fixation of atmospheric CO2 into carbon reservoirs such as oceans, soil, and vegetation
Yanbu industrial city is a city in Al Madinah Province of western Saudi Arabia that is governed by the Royal Commission of Yanbu (RCU)
The results of the current study showed significant variations in soil bulk density (SBD) values among the studied locations, with Yanbu industrial city having the lowest SBD when compared to Umluj and Ar-Rayis
Summary
Carbon sequestration and storage is defined as the physical, chemical, and/or biological fixation of atmospheric CO2 into carbon reservoirs such as oceans, soil, and vegetation (especially forests, including mangroves). The main causes of rising atmospheric carbon levels are changes in land use, such as deforestation and consumption of fossil fuels [1]. In response to such increases, scientific and public concerns were raised. The. Kyoto Protocol was held in an attempt to regulate the atmospheric carbon levels by reducing greenhouse gases (GHG) in the atmosphere, by improving terrestrial carbon sinks (soil and plants) and reducing GHG emissions [2]. Among other terrestrial ecosystem components, is considered to be the largest organic-carbon reservoir [3]. The most important factor affecting soil fertility, and other
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
