Comparative Study of Stand Structure and Carbon Sequestration of Mangrove Forest in Barangay Papaya Nasugbu, Batangas: Basis for Environmental Action Plan

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Mangroves are defined as an association of halophytic trees, shrubs, and other plant growing in brackish to saline tidal waters of tropical and subtropical coastlines. They are keystones in the coastal ecosystem, providing numerous environmental services and critical ecological functions, affecting both upland and oceanic resources. These values include protection from storms and tsunamis, regulation of water quality, breeding and rearing habitats for many species of fish and shellfish, important sources of wood and other forest products for local populations, and biodiversity, for they are habitats for many rare and endangered species.

Studies show that mangroves are considered as "super carbon storage". This means that mangroves stores 50 times more soil carbon than their terrestrial counterpart.

METHODS

The study utilized a descriptive research design to assess the community structure and carbon sequestration of the community-managed mangrove forest. Site selection was done using reconnaissance survey, a type of sampling technique where purposively selecting one’s sampling site and sampling quadrats.

RESULTS

The study revealed that Avicennia marina occupied the most number of species in Papaya Mangrove Forest. The community structure in Papaya showed that the species in Plot 2 has the greater GBH (37m), with height at 0.093m, crown at 54.5cm, DBH at 270.882cm, basal area at 0.2829m2, and canopy cover at 592.28m2. In terms of soil organic carbon at 5cm depth, the percent of organic carbon was 2.25% which was equivalent to 0.315tons/hectare, while at 10cm depth the percentage of organic carbon was 1.67% which was equivalent to 0.498tons/hectare of organic carbon. The following values of diameter at breast height (DBH), aboveground and belowground biomass were as follows: 257.243cm, 1837.629kg, and 4259.868t/ha respectively. The total carbon stock of mangroves in Papaya was 4260.366t/ha.

DISCUSSIONS

The results showed that there was a significant difference in the community structure and carbon stock in Papaya Mangrove Forest. Species diversity showed no significant difference.