STRUCTURE AND CARBON SEQUESTRATION IN URBAN MANGROVES, FUNDAMENTALS FOR CONSERVATION IN ISLA DEL CARMEN CAMPECHE, MEXICO

Background: In the Yucatan Peninsula, some mangrove areas were filled with rubble and residential areas were latter developed. Questions: Can the knowledge of the forest structure and carbon storage be used to establish a baseline for urban mangrove conservation? Study species: Rhizophora mangle L., Laguncularia racemosa Gaertn f., Avicennia germinans L. y Conocarpus erectus L. Location and study year: Isla del Carmen, Campeche, 2017. Methods: Sampling units were established for assessing vegetation structure and measuring above-ground and below-ground carbon stock in two mangrove zone; the first one was filled with rubble and the second without land use changes. Results: The site filled with rubble had a basal area of 25.4 m(2) ha(-1), where A. germinans was the dominant species with stand density of 675 trees ha(-1), with average height of 5.5 m and average diameter at breast height of 13.4 +/- 1.6 cm. The site without land use changes had a basal area of 27.8 m(2) ha(-1) and A. germinans was also the most abundant species with 731 trees ha(-1), but individuals were smaller (5.0 m tall) and with greater diameter at breast height (15.2 cm), as compared with the other site. The estimated total carbon stored in the second site (383 Mg C ha(-1)) was higher than in the first one (321 Mg C ha(-1)). Conclusions: The ecological value of carbon sequestration and forest structure contributed to strengthening the conservation and protection measures against invasions of urban mangroves.