A case study on structural development and ecological services of restored mangroves in Adyar Estuary, India
Data files
Feb 05, 2025 version files 282.08 KB
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README.md
1.68 KB
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Viswanathan_et_al_Data_NJB.xlsx
280.41 KB
Abstract
Mangroves, critical coastal wetlands, face global degradation, necessitating conservation and restoration efforts. This study evaluates mangrove restoration in the Adyar Estuary, Chennai, along the Bay of Bengal, degraded by urbanization and anthropogenic pressures. It evaluates afforested mangroves' structural development, restored ecological functions, and factors enabling their establishment. Spanning 56.6 acres, the estuary hosts six mangrove species, with Avicennia marina dominant. The afforested mangroves showed a median density of 3900 trees ha-1, vegetation biomass of 222.26 Mg ha-1, and sequestered 99.89 Mg C ha-1 (366.60 Mg CO2e ha-1). Total carbon storage was 2288.00 Mg C (8397.05 Mg CO2e), with annual sequestration at 325.71 Mg C year-1 (1195.42 Mg CO2e year-1). Reduced self-thinning indicated enhanced self-tolerance. Despite pollution, mangroves thrived due to locally adapted species, replanting efforts, and community involvement. This study highlights mangrove restoration as a strategy for climate resilience, aligning ecological and socio-economic goals.
README: A case study on structural development and ecological services of restored mangroves in Adyar Estuary, India
https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.51c59zwjz
Description of the data and file structure
Vegetation structure of afforested mangroves along the Adyar Estuary and Creek was assessed in August 2022 using 49 random 10 m × 10 m plots across nine stations spaced at least 50 m apart. Tree parameters, including girth at breast height and tree height, were recorded following mangrove species identification. Vegetation biomass for above-ground and below-ground parts was estimated using established allometric equations to determine total biomass.
Files and variables
File: Viswanathan_et_al_Data_NJB.xlsx
Description:
All data are compiled into a single sheet.
Variables
- The 'Species' column lists mangrove species observed in each plot by station and quadrat. The 'Stand age' column indicates the age of mangrove stands.
- Directly measured parameters, including girth and height of mangrove individuals, are detailed under 'Girth (cm)' and 'Height (m)' columns.
- Estimated variables such as diameter, radius, basal area, above-ground biomass, below-ground biomass, and total biomass are presented in their respective columns.
Location:
- Adyar Estuary in Chennai, India
- Data collection period: August 2022
Code/software
The data can be viewed using Microsoft Excel or any other software that supports Excel file formats, such as Google Sheets.
Access information
Other publicly accessible locations of the data:
- NIL
Data was derived from the following sources:
- NIL
Methods
This dataset was collected from Adyar Estuary along the Bay of Bengal in Chennai, India. Field surveys were conducted at nine stations with a minimum spacing of 50 m between them along the Adyar Estuary and Creek during August 2022 to assess the vegetation structure of the afforested mangroves. At each station, random plots measuring 10 m x 10 m were established to study the vegetation characteristics of the afforested mangroves. A total of 49 sampling plots were used, and the age of the mangrove stands in each station was determined based on information provided by Chennai Rivers Restoration Trust. Within each sampling plot, all mangroves were identified and counted. Girth at breast height (GBH) and tree height were measured using a distometer (Leica Disto D510, Hungary). Based on these data, basal area (m2 ha-1) and stand density (stems ha-1) were calculated. In the present study, two carbon pools, namely above-ground vegetation biomass (AGB) and below-ground vegetation biomass (BGB), were considered to measure the vegetation carbon stock of the afforested mangroves in the estuary. The allometric equations for Southeast Asian mangroves were applied to estimate AGB and BGB.
AGB = 0.251 × r × D2.46
BGB = 0.199 × r0.899 × D2.22
where, AGB is the above-ground vegetation biomass (kg), BGB is the below-ground vegetation biomass (kg), r is the species’ wood density, and D is the diameter derived from GBH using the equation D = GBH/(22/7). The wood density for the afforested mangrove species present in the estuary was obtained from the Global Wood Density Database.