Potensi Stok Karbon Hutan Manggrove dan Kelapa Sawit di Pulau Sembilan Sumatera Utara

Abstract

Indonesia is an archipelagic nation who has among world’s greatest natural resources and the biodiversity, one of which is coastal mangrove forest. One of mangrove forests functions is natural carbon sinks, with this function allows mangrove forests to store large amounts of organic carbon, through the form of vegetation (biomass) and soil organic matter. This research was conducted to better understand the ecological and social benefits of mangrove functions as carbon sinks, and develop strategies for mangrove conservation to maximize their potential benefits, especially mangrove forests in Pulau Sembilan Village, Pangkalan Susu sub-district, Langkat Regency, North Sumatra. There were 11 mangrove species encountered in natural mangrove forests as well as in restored mangrove forests across sampling areas. Non-destructive vegetation and oraganic matter sampling was completed by establishing six circular plots with a radius of 7 m across 125 m transect perpendicular to estuary water body. The assessed carbon stock consists of three components of the carbon pool, namely tree biomass, root biomass and dead wood. The average total carbon stock in natural mangrove forests was 228 MgC/ha, restored mangrove forests was 116 MgC/ha, logged mangrove was 69 MgC/ha and oil palm plantations was 18 MgC/ha.