Allometric Modelling of the Stem Carbon Content of Rhizophora mucronata in a Tropical Mangrove Ecosystem
2020
W. M. Dimuthu Nilmini Wijeyaratne | Pawani Madhushani Liyanage
Mangrove ecosystems are identified as important blue carbon ecosystems because they play an important role in carbon sequestration among the coastal ecosystems. The present study was conducted to develop an allometric model to determine the stem carbon content of Rhizophora mucronata in a conserved tropical mangrove ecosystem. The stepwise regression with backward elimination was used to identify the best fit model to predict the stem carbon content of Rhizophora mucronata. The allometric equation, Ln C = −2.403 + 2.247 Ln DBH, where C: stem carbon content and DBH: diameter at breast height, was constructed to be evaluated and validated as the most suitable and practically applicable model. The reliability of the model was 76.7%, and the model was significant at 95% level of significance. The model bias values and the model efficiency values for the best fit model suggested that the model is suitable to be used practically. The present study used a nondestructive method of measuring individual tree parameters to develop this allometric equation to predict the stem carbon content and it is considered as an environmentally friendly approach with minimum damage to the tree.
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