Mangrove forests are considered to be a unique and complex major component of coastal zones in the tropical and sub-tropical regions. They represent transitional ecosystems where the ocean, land, and freshwater meet. Their main vegetation components are generally evergreen trees or shrubs that grow along coastlines, brackish estuaries or delta habitats. Mangrove habitats are easily recognized as they are located at tideland mud or sand flats inundated daily with sea water. They not only play critical roles in ensuring sustainability of coastal ecosystems, but also in fulfilling important socio-economic benefits to coastal communities.
The purpose of this chapter is to provide an overview of the potential roles of mangroves in sequestering carbon from the atmosphere. The potential importance of mangroves in the global carbon cycle and in offsetting global climate change is highlighted. Specifically, this chapter describes the distribution and abundance of mangroves, discusses the major ecological and economical roles, and highlights the contribution of mangroves for conservation of biodiversity. In addition, the major threats to these ecosystems and their rates of destruction are also discussed. Finally, the potential of mangrove biomass to offset carbon emission in contributing carbon content stabilization in the atmosphere is discussed.
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Suratman, M.N. (2008). Carbon Sequestration Potential of Mangroves in Southeast Asia. In: Bravo, F., Jandl, R., LeMay, V., von Gadow, K. (eds) Managing Forest Ecosystems: The Challenge of Climate Change. Managing Forest Ecosystems, vol 17. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-8343-3_17
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