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Carbon and nitrogen pools in a mangrove stand of Kandelia obovata (S., L.) Yong: vertical distribution in the soil–vegetation system

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Abstract

Attempts were made to quantify the carbon and nitrogen pools in a monospecific and pioneer mangrove stand of Kandelia obovata Sheue, Liu & Yong, Okinawa Island, Japan. The leaf C and N concentrations on a leaf area basis decreased with increasing PPFD (Photosysthetic Photon Flux Density). The total C and N stocks in foliage were estimated as 3.55 Mg ha–1 and 0.105 Mg ha–1, respectively. The bark (45.6–48.6% for C and 0.564–0.842% for N) contained significantly higher amount of C (P < 0.05) and N (P < 0.01) than wood (46.2–47.8% for C and 0.347–0.914% N). The total C stock of stem was 23.2 Mg ha–1 in wood and 8.33 Mg ha–1 in bark, and the total N stock was 0.222 Mg ha–1 in wood and 0.116 Mg ha–1 in bark. The root wood (37.1–45.0%) contained significantly higher amount of C than root bark (35.4–40.7%) (P < 0.01). The total C stock of root was 14.2 Mg ha–1 in wood and 12.6 Mg ha–1 in bark, and the total N stock of root was 0.157 Mg ha–1 in wood and 0.155 Mg ha–1 in bark. The soil organic C and total N stocks within 1 m soil depth were estimated as 57.3 Mg ha–1 and 2.73 Mg ha–1, respectively. The C pool in aboveground biomass (35.1 Mg ha–1) was 1.3 times as large as that in belowground biomass (26.9 Mg ha–1). However, the soil organic C pool (57.3 Mg ha–1) was similar to the total C pool (62.0 Mg ha–1) of vegetation, indicating that the mangrove stored a large part of production in the soil. About 50% of the C was in the soil. The N pool in aboveground biomass (0.442 Mg ha–1) was 1.4 times as large as that in belowground biomass (0.312 Mg ha–1). The soil N stock was 3.3 times as large as the biomass N stock (0.754 Mg ha–1).

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Dr. L. Alhamd and Mr. S.M. Feroz who provided invaluable assistance for the collection of data. We also thank the Ministry of Environment, Japan, for access to the wildlife sanctuary, and Tomigusuku Community for permitting us the use of their land. This study was partially supported by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan (nos. 16201009 and 16651009), and by the 21st Century COE program of University of the Ryukyus.

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  1. Forestry and Wood Technology Discipline, Khulna University, Khulna, 9208, Bangladesh

    Md. Nabiul Islam Khan

  2. Laboratory of Ecology and Systematics, Faculty of Science, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, 903-0213, Japan

    Rempei Suwa & Akio Hagihara

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  1. Md. Nabiul Islam Khan
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  2. Rempei Suwa
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Correspondence to Akio Hagihara.

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Khan, M.N.I., Suwa, R. & Hagihara, A. Carbon and nitrogen pools in a mangrove stand of Kandelia obovata (S., L.) Yong: vertical distribution in the soil–vegetation system. Wetlands Ecol Manage 15, 141–153 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11273-006-9020-8

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