Four decades of data on planted mangrove ecosystem carbon stocks

This data publication consists of over 40 years of data (1975-2023) on planted mangrove ecosystem aboveground biomass (AGB), belowground biomass (BGB) and soil carbon (C) stock (down to 1 meter depth) data collated from 134 studies and reports encompassing a total of 809 planted stands (restored and afforested), as well as data from 370 intact stands reported in these studies for comparison. These data were distributed across 24 countries and 181 geographical sites (i.e., in a particular estuary, delta, open-coast area or lagoon). To assess how effective mangrove plantation efforts are at returning carbon stocks similar to those of intact stands in the same geographic location, we then calculated the C stock ratios (R) relative to intact mangrove stands in the vicinity for each planted mangrove stand. In addition to carbon stocks and carbon stock ratios, the following information is also included for each mangrove stand: geographic coordinates, diversity (mixed-species or name of the genus for monospecific stands), biogeographic hotspot sub-region (i.e., IWP = Indo West Pacific or AEP = Atlantic East Pacific), continental region, country, and type of coastal setting (open-coast, estuary, delta or lagoon). For soil carbon stocks, the depth of the soil profile sampled is also indicated.
Because mangrove ecosystems have one of the highest net ecosystem productivity rates and carbon (C) storage potential on the globe, restoring or rehabilitating these ecosystems has been regarded a promising long-term nature-based solution to partly offset emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG). As the United Nation (UN) general assembly has declared 2021-2030 as the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, mangrove restorable area is estimated at 8120 square kilometers (km²), of which 6665 km² are considered to be highly restorable. Understanding how effective past mangrove restoration projects have been at returning antecedent C stocks across different locations and species composition is therefore critical in prioritizing future efforts and maximizing success in these restorable areas. These data were collected in order to characterize how C stock changes over time within planted mangrove ecosystems varying in species composition relative to intact mangrove stands in the vicinity and in which timelines.
For more information about these data and this study, see Bourgeois et al. (2024).