Belowground carbon storage of Micronesian mangrove forests

Belowground carbon storage was examined for mangrove forests on Pohnpei Island, Micronesia. Stored carbon in a coral reef-type mangrove habitat consisting of a 2 m thick mangrove peat layer, which is a type of mangrove habitat in tropical Pacific islands, was estimated at 1300 t C ha(-1). The carbon burial rate during the phase of gradual sea-level rise, which was calculated at 93 g m(-2) year(-1) between 1800 and 1380 years sp using the medians of the radiocarbon ages, was significantly higher than that between 1380 years sp and present in a stable sea-level phase.