Evaluation of Plant Growth and Potential of Carbon Storage in the Restored Mangrove of an Abandoned Pond in Lubuk Kertang, North Sumatra, Indonesia.

Mangrove forest in Lubuk Kertang Village, West Brandan sub-district has been converted around 20 ha annually (1996–2016) into various non-forest land use. Rehabilitation can be a solution to restore the condition of the ecosystem so that it can resume its ecological and economic functions. This paper discusses the evaluation of mangrove rehabilitation carried out by planting 6000 propagules in December 2015 and 5000 seedlings in May 2016 with Rhizophora apiculata species in abandoned ponds. Monitoring was carried out every 6 months from 2016 to 2022. In the restored area, 11 true mangrove species and 3 associated mangrove species were found. The percentage of plants that survived after seven years was 69.42% for planting using propagules and 86.38% for planting with seedlings. The total biomass carbon stocks stored by 7-year-old plants using propagules was 51.18 Mg ha⁻¹, while the carbon stored by planting using seedlings was 56.79 Mg ha⁻¹. Soil carbon stocks at the planted site with propagules were 506.89 ± 250.74 MgC ha⁻¹, and at the planted site with seedlings were 461.85 ± 102.23 MgC ha⁻¹. The total ecosystem carbon stocks (including aboveground carbon) in the planted site using propagules were 558.07 MgC ha⁻¹, while planting using seedlings were 518.64 MgC ha⁻¹. The dataset and findings on the carbon storage evaluation of mangrove rehabilitation will be useful for blue carbon research community and policymakers in the context of the climate change mitigation strategy for Indonesia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]