Comparison of Seagrass Carbon Stock Across Three Distinct Associated Ecosystems, Eastern Coast of Bintan Island, Indonesia

¹ Master Study Program in Coastal and Marine Resource Management, Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Science, IPB University, 16680 Bogor, Indonesia
² Department of Aquatic Resources Management, Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Science, IPB University, 16680 Bogor, Indonesia
³ Center for Coastal and Marine Resources Studies, IPB University, 16143 Bogor, Indonesia
⁴ Research Center for Conservation of Marine and Inland Water Resources, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), The Republic of Indonesia, Soekarno Science and Technology Area, Cibinong, 16911 Bogor, Indonesia

^* Corresponding author: ziyah_fauziyah@apps.ipb.ac.id

Abstract

Marine biota and organisms, including seagrass, capture and utilize more than half of the carbon produced on earth. Seagrass ecosystems are blue carbon ecosystems that play a role in reducing CO₂ emissions concerning current climate change. CO₂ gas used by seagrasses in photosynthesis is stored in their biomass and sediment. This study aims to compare seagrass carbon stocks in three different influence factors around seagrass ecosystems on the East Coast of Bintan Island, Riau Islands. Carbon stock assessment using the Loss on Ignition (LOI) laboratory analysis method. The highest carbon stocks were found in seagrass ecosystem stations associated with mangroves and the lowest in seagrass ecosystems away from human activity. Total seagrass carbon stocks ranged from 42.39-53.61 MgC/ha. Biomass carbon stocks from this study ranged from 0.65-1.72 MgC/ha with an average of 1.05±0.58 MgC/ha. Meanwhile, carbon stock values in seagrass sediments ranged from 41.60-51.90 MgC/ha, averaging 45.44±5.63 MgC/ha. The most extensive seagrass carbon stock was found at stations close to mangroves and had the highest per cent cover. Carbon stock values and seagrass cover had a positive correlation. Carbon stock in sediment without seagrass was found to be 34.20 MgC/ha with the purpose of comparison to the carbon stock value of sediment with seagrass.