Carbon sequestration and fluxes of restored mangroves in abandoned aquaculture ponds

ABSTRACT

There has been a growing interest in restoring mangroves to reduce and offset carbon (C) emissions, but it is still unknown whether restored mangroves provide ‘blue carbon’ services similar to natural ones. This study aimed to determine if 10 year-old restored mangroves in abandoned aquaculture ponds in Perancak Estuary, Bali have similar net primary productivity (NPP) and C sequestration to those of intact mangroves. Tidal re-instatement in the ponds has occurred and facilitated mangrove regeneration and sediment accumulation. We found that NPP were similar between natural and restored mangroves. Soil C sequestration in restored mangroves was similar to the natural mangroves, but the soil respiration (CO₂ efflux) was lower. The source of C in mangrove sediments was mainly of mangrove origin, confirming the role of NPP in sediment C sequestration. We suggest that many components of the carbon cycle of the mangroves have been restored within 10 years since the reestablishment of the mangrove.

KEYWORDS:

• Mangrove restoration
• blue carbon
• net primary productivity
• Indonesia

Acknowledgements

We thank Hanggar Presetio Kadarisman and Aziz Muslim for their contribution in periodic field measurement. We are very grateful to the Institute for Marine Research and Observation, Ministry of Marine Affairs of Fisheries - Indonesia that provided the mangrove site for our work and supported the establishment of our monitoring stations as open-air mangrove laboratory. First author would like to acknowledge the support from Partnerships for Enhanced Engagement in Research (PEER) Science – USAID (Grant # AID-OAA-A-11-00012), the Australia Awards and the University of Queensland. Second author was supported by an Advance Queensland Fellowship, Queensland Government, Australia.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Frida Sidik is senior researcher of the Institute for Marine Research and Observation.

Maria Fernanda Adame is research fellow of Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University.

Catherine E. Lovelock is professor of Biological Sciences at the University of Queensland.

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by PEER Science, National Academy of Sciences – the Agency for International Development grant (AID-OAA-A-I1-00012) with Sub-Grant Number PGA-2000001978.