The Potential Storage Capacity of Guyana's Mangrove Forest

In Guyana, there are four (4) species of mangroves; the black, button, red and white mangroves. All of these species can be found on the coast of Guyana and their structural (tree) densities are very high. There should be more focus on the protection of these mangroves because, often, they tend to be destroyed due to pollution and deforestation.
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Mangroves can be defined as a tree or shrub which grows in tidal, mainly tropical, coastal swamps and have numerous tangled roots which grow above ground forming dense thickets (Mangrove Watch, 2013). Deforestation and forest degradation are responsible for 17% of global gas emissions and it is mandatory that our pristine rainforests remain intact to combat this phenomenon (climate change). Mangroves play a vital role in the prevention and reduction of these emissions within Guyana through the Low Carbon Development Strategy introduced in 2008, by then President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, because of their high productivity. Mangroves may occur in small a biomass ratio compared to rainforests but they are capable of eliminating greenhouse gases in large quantities through photosynthesis (UNDULP, 2013). In addition to their high productivity, mangroves also store high levels of carbon in their soil components, acting as a carbon sink. Finally, mangroves also serve as a way in reducing coastal erosion both in Guyana and in other Caribbean countries.

According to Bouillon et al (2008), mangroves convert atmospheric carbon into organic compounds within their biomass through the process of primary productivity. Primary productivity can be described as the rate at which energy is converted by photosynthesis and chemosynthetic autotrophs to organic matter (amount of carbon fixed, measured in biomass/ha/year). Many studies have shown that mangroves are capable of storing carbon and as a result their economic value has increased. Carbon dioxide is sequestered by forest ecosystems, which include mangroves and can reduce the presence of the gas within the atmosphere. Mangroves not only act as a carbon sink or an agent to reduce carbon in the atmosphere, they also contribute to the livelihood of man, through the availability of wood, non-wooden products (FAO, 2007).

July 7, 2018​