Journal of Tropical Oceanography ›› 2024, Vol. 43 ›› Issue (2): 108-120.doi: 10.11978/2023074CSTR: 32234.14.2023074

• Marine Biology • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Influence of tree species and intertidal elevations on the carbon storage of the Gaoqiao mangrove area in Zhanjiang, Guangdong Province

ZHOU Zhigang(), YUE Wen(), LI Huiquan, LIN Yangyang   

  1. Guangdong Provincial Institute of Land Survey and Planning, Guangzhou 510075, China
  • Received:2023-06-05 Revised:2023-08-28 Online:2024-03-10 Published:2024-03-26
  • Supported by:
    Special Funds for Natural Resource Ecological Restoration Projects in Guangdong Province(440000210000000019650)

Abstract:

Mangroves are located at the junction between marine and land, and their carbon storage capacity depends on a variety of factors. In this study, the plant growth, biomass, soil organic carbon content and soil bulk density as well as the carbon storage in both vegetation and soil were compared in the mangrove communities in the Gaoqiao District, Zhanjiang, Guangdong, to study the individual and coupled effects of tree species and intertidal elevation factors on carbon storage. The results showed that carbon storage of mangrove communities was 4.98×1010 g and carbon density was 107.76×106 g·hm-2, and the carbon storage was mainly concentrated in soil. The carbon density of mangrove in different intertidal elevations were significantly affected by tree species, and the carbon storages of mangrove at low intertidal elevation was higher than those at middle and high intertidal elevation. The carbon storage of Sonneratia apetala communities was significantly affected by intertidal elevation. The carbon storage of Rhizophora stylosa communities at middle intertidal elevation and S. apetala communities at low intertidal elevation was greatest in this mangrove area, regardless of the perspective of vegetation carbon pool or soil carbon pool. In all mangrove communities, the vertical distribution of soil organic carbon content was homogeneous with no significant difference among soil layers. The vertical distribution of soil organic carbon contents at the high and middle intertidal elevation was influenced by tree species. Among them, the soil organic carbon content in the majority of Aegiceras corniculatum communities was significantly higher than those at the same soil layer of Kandelia obovata, Avicennia marina and S. apetala communities. However, tree species had no significant effect on the soil organic carbon content at the low intertidal elevation. Although the relationship of soil bulk density and soil organic carbon content was influenced by both tree species and intertidal elevation, the linear fitting results were mainly negative correlations. This study can provide a scientific basis for the selection of tree species and intertidal elevation for carbon sequestration in mangrove afforestation project.

Key words: tree species of mangrove, intertidal elevation, carbon storage, bulk density, Zhanjiang, Guangdong Province