Soil carbon stock in different of mangrove ecosystem in Mahakam Delta, East Kalimantan, Indonesia

Abstract

Mangrove forests serve as a buffer against sedimentation from the mainland into the sea, protect the area from coastal erosion, and prevent seawater intrusion in some ecological types of coastal environments. Additionally, because soil and below-ground biomass retain a significant quantity of carbon, they are essential for carbon sequestration. The current study seeks to estimate the soil organic carbon stock of mangroves associated with natural regeneration, mangrove rehabilitation areas and abandoned shrimp ponds, in Mahakam Delta, East Kalimantan, Indonesia. A 125-meter-long transect line was used to collect data, with three sampling points representing the length of the transect line. Each soil sample was taken at three different depths: 0-50 cm, 50-100 cm, and 100-150 cm. After that, the samples were taken to the laboratory for carbon analysis. The mangrove rehabilitation area had the highest bulk density at 8.64 gr/cm3, followed by natural mangroves along the river border at 7.67 gr/cm3, and abandoned ponds had the lowest at 7.16 gr/cm3. The rehabilitation area had the highest soil carbon stock at 1120 tons/ha, followed by natural mangroves along the riverside at 686 tons/ha and abandoned ponds at 383 tons/ha. In accordance with the study, mangrove rehabilitation regions had larger soil carbon stocks than natural regeneration along the riverside and abandoned ponds. In order to protect the ecologically significant mangrove ecosystem and minimize the effects of climate change, mangrove restoration and rehabilitation are necessary.