Aboveground Biomass Estimation of Mangrove Ecosystem in the Anambas Islands Using Remote Sensing Data

¹ National Marine Protected Area Office (LKKPN) of Pekanbaru, Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, Pekanbaru 28286, Indonesia
² Department of Land, Environment, Agriculture and Forestry, University of Padova, Legnaro 35020, Italy
³ School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability, University of Queensland, Gatton 4343, Australia
⁴ Faculty of Marine and Fisheries Sciences, Raja Ali Haji Maritime University, Tanjungpinang 29411, Indonesia

^* Corresponding author: dominikus.laia@kkp.go.id

Abstract

The Anambas Islands is located in the Natuna Sea - the southern part of the South China Sea, encompassing vital marine ecosystems. Among these ecosystems, the mangrove stands out as crucial in the Anambas, playing an important role in providing a range of ecosystem services. However, spatial information regarding the condition of this ecosystem is very limited. In this study, our focus was on estimating and mapping the aboveground biomass (AGB) of mangroves across the Anambas using a combination of field survey and satellite remote sensing data. We employed seven vegetation indices along with five regression methods to determine the most suitable combination for producing an AGB. Our findings revealed that the incorporation of Sentinel-2 remote sensing images and field survey data can be used to model the AGB. The best combination model was the Modified Soil Adjusted Vegetation Index (MSAVI) and polynomial regression, achieving an accuracy of 72.09%. Anambas was estimated to possess a potential AGB of 369,371.47 tonnes and a carbon stock of 173,604.59 tonnes. These findings provide valuable information for regional conservation strategies, including the identification of protected zones, the establishment of a baseline for mangrove conditions, and the assessment of carbon credit in the Anambas.