The estimation of biomass and carbon stocks in mangrove forest ecosystem of Karawang Regency, West Java

Abstract

Mangrove forest has a role in reducing carbon levels through the absorption from the atmosphere and its storage in several compartments such as plants, litter, and soil organic matter. It is important to estimate biomass and carbon stocks in mangrove forests, because mangroves are able to store three to five times more carbon than lowland tropical forests. The estimation of biomass and carbon stocks was carried out in Karawang Regency. The Calculation of stand biomass was carried out using a non-destructive method, and the data was converted into above-ground biomass values using allometric equations according to tree species. The results showed that the mangrove ecosystem at the tree level has the largest percentage of CO2 absorption, which is 54.55%, sapling level of 44.49%, and 0.96% for the seedling level. The location that has the most significant estimated average value of carbon stock is Sedari Village; meanwhile, the lowest average carbon stock value was found in Pusakajaya Utara Village. Based on the area of the mangrove ecosystem in Pusakajaya Utara Village, with a mangrove area of 39.62 ha, the total estimated upper carbon in the mangrove ecosystem in Pusakajaya Utara Village is 1264.67 tons C.