Spatial patterns and driving factors of carbon stocks in mangrove forests on Hainan Island, China

Aim Mangrove forests are important coastal wetlands for the blue carbon budget and play a significant role in mitigating global climate change. However, spatial patterns of carbon stocks in mangrove forests on an island scale have not been quantified owing to methodological limitations and lack of understanding of controlling factors. We took the entire Hainan Island as a case study and aimed to carry out a comprehensive investigation of the spatial patterns and driving factors of carbon stocks in mangrove forests. Location Southern China. Time period 2017-2020. Major taxa studied Mangrove forest. Methods The upscaling method combined with field surveys and Sentinel-2 imagery analysis were used to compare different models for optimization of mangrove ecosystem carbon stock estimations. We also used structural equation modelling (SEM) to evaluate the factors driving the distributional patterns of mangrove carbon stocks on an island scale. Results The current total mangrove carbon stock of the entire Hainan Island was estimated to be 703,181 Mg C (with a mean density of 192 Mg C/ha), with the above- and below-ground carbon stocks averaging at 44.7 and 147.3 Mg C/ha, respectively. The mangrove carbon storage in the north-eastern region of the island was the highest and in the west region the lowest. Sediment nitrogen content and plant species diversity had the most positive driving effects on the distribution of total carbon stock for Hainan Island mangroves. Main conclusions The combination of field surveys and Sentinel-2 imagery analysis can be applied to regional-scale estimations of carbon stocks for mangrove forests. Spatial pattens of mangrove carbon stocks vary among locations on Hainan Island, and soil nutrient (especially nitrogen) availability is the dominant factor regulating carbon stock variations along the land-to-sea gradient. Our findings have significant implications for better understanding the distribution of mangrove carbon stocks and quantification of the global blue carbon budget.