Impacts of tree harvesting on the carbon balance and functioning in mangrove forests.

Mangrove forests are considered one of the most efficient natural carbon sinks and their preservation is thus important in climate change mitigation. However, they are declining at higher rates than terrestrial forests, due to human activities; with Kenyan mangroves being no of exception. One of the main drivers of mangrove decline in Kenya is over-exploitation for wood products. The present study aimed to assess (a) the effects of tree removal on the fluxes of greenhouse gases, surface elevation and other ecosystem functions of mangrove forests and (b) mangrove root production. To explore these objectives two experiments were established in the mangrove forests at Gazi bay, Kenya: (i) tree harvest and (ii)…

• EI
  Earthwatch Institute
• SO
  Society of Wetland Scientists
• ES
  Ecological Society of America
• EN
  Edinburgh Napier University
• KL
  KU Leuven
• WI
  Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association
• KM
  Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute
• UF
  U.S. Forest Service