TITLE:
Assessment of Mangrove Covers Change and Biomass in Mida creek, Kenya
AUTHORS:
Fikir Alemayehu, Onwonga Richard, Kinyanjui Mwangi James, Oliverv Wasonga
KEYWORDS:
Aerial Photographs, Satellite Images, Allometric Equations, Biomass Estimation, Carbon Stock, Mangrove, Mida Creek
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Forestry,
Vol.4 No.4,
July
31,
2014
ABSTRACT: This study uses old aerial
photographs, current high resolution satellite images and ground truthing to
analyze the patterns and dynamics of Mida Creek mangrove forest changes over 41
years from 1969-2010. A non-distractive method was used to collect data on 25
sample plots and 934 trees were measured to estimate the above ground biomass
and carbon stock of the forest. General published allometric equations with
variables of Diameter at Breast Height (DBH) and wood density (ρ) which were
species specific were used to estimate above ground biomass. A decline in
mangrove cover (16%) took place between 1969 and 1989 and between 1989 and 2010
an increment was observed in mangrove cover (1452.5 ha in 1989 to 1655.7 ha in
2010). Signs of degradation within the mangrove forest were observed in 2010 in
which the degraded land covered 8.8 ha. The total above ground biomass and
carbon estimated on the 25 plots was 296.14 ton·ha-1 and 148.07 ton·ha-1 respectively. Mida Creek mangrove forest is largely dominated by the presence
of Rhizophora mucronata and Ceriop tagal and the regeneration of
these two species is very high. If the present dominance of the two species
continues it will affect the species composition of the current mangrove
forest. This study recommends a better management plan for the mangrove forest
through increasing involvement of the surrounding communities. Furthermore,
there should be a way to control selective and illegal cutting of mangroves and
promote other species of trees for domestic and commercial use to reduce the
high dependency on the use of mangroves for construction purposes.