Carbon emissions from the destruction of mangrove forests are expected to increase by 50,000% by the end of the century

The annual rate of carbon emissions from the degradation of carbon stocks in mangrove forests is expected to increase by almost 50,000% by the end of the century, according to a new study published in Environmental Research Letters. Mangroves in regions such as southern India, southeast China, Singapore and eastern Australia are particularly affected.

Mangrove forests store a large amount of carbon, particularly in their soils, but human development in these areas has led to the degradation of these carbon stocks. Over the past 20 years, a significant number of mangrove forests have been replaced by agriculture, aquaculture and urban land management, leading to a decrease in global mangrove carbon stocks by 158.4 million tonnes, thereby releasing the same level of carbon emissions as the transportation of the entire American population. From New York to London.

The study is led by Jennifer Krumins, a biology professor at Montclair State University, alongside two doctoral students. candidates, Shih-Chieh Chien and Charles Knoble. The team focused on the relationship between human population density and soil carbon stocks in urban mangrove forests to quantify their role in the global carbon budget.

The results show that when the population density reaches 300 inhabitants/km² (similar to the average population density of the UK or Japan), carbon stored in mangrove soils near populated areas is estimated to be 37% lower than in isolated mangrove forests. At the same time, the annual rate of carbon emissions from mangrove loss is currently estimated at 7.0 teragrams, increasing with increasing population density to reach 3,392 teragrams under current forecasts. end of the century.

Mangrove forests cover approximately 0.1% of the earth’s surface, but play a vital role in providing habitats for wildlife and regulating the stability of the global climate. These mangroves store a large amount of carbon, particularly in their soils, and are essential for regulating the carbon cycle on a global scale. Mangrove soils contain three to four times the mass of carbon typically found in boreal, temperate or tropical forests.

Professor Krumins said: “This work highlights the importance of protecting existing mangroves, particularly in densely populated areas. Mangrove forests are essential for regulating carbon sequestration, and it is important that we protect them. The first step is to understand the impact of populations and human activities on the carbon stocks of mangrove forests.