estimation of biomass, carbon stocks and soil sequestration of gowatr mangrove forests, gulf of oman

The mangrove forest ecosystem is known to possess a variety of ecosystem services, including high rates of carbon sequestration, storage and mitigating climate change through reduced deforestation. this study was carried out in the mangrove forests of gowatr bay, gulf of oman during 201718 to quantify biomass and carbon stocks of all components of this forest, including live and dead trees, soil, pneumatophores, herbaceous and litter in three stations during postmonsoon and premonsoon. we examined that biomass, carbon stocks and soil carbon varied significantly with spatial locations (p<0.05) abut not with seasons (p>0.05). the mean of biomass and carbon stock were estimated 125.54 ±19.31 and 129.21 ±19.64 mg ha1, and 48.48 ±7.51 and 49.9 ±7.5 mg ha1, in postmonsoon and premonsoon, respectively. also, soil carbon was determined 227.1 ±11.86 and 227.3 ±11.71 mg ha1 in postmonsoon and premonsoon, respectively. a positive correlation was found between the vegetation biomass and soil organic carbon in postmonsoon (r=0.905) and premonsoon (r=0.914), indicating the role of vegetation in building soil organic carbon. the mean carbon stock value for the total area of mangroves in postmonsoon and premonsoon was extrapolated as 43.9 and 44.2 kt of c, equivalent to 161.13 and 162.102 kt of co2, respectively. this data reveals that gowatr mangroves store a substantial amount of atmospheric carbon, and therefore need to be conserved and sustainably managed to maintain as well as to increase carbon storage.