WHY GO FOR MANMADE CARBON CAPTURE TOOLS WHEN WE HAVE MANGROVES

Dr. Maisa Elgamal

Associate Professor in the Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, College of Natural and Health Sciences

Zayed University

While the globe searches for man-made innovative solutions to halt the rise of global CO2 levels, the research team at Zayed University, UAE investigates how Mangrove forests can be a natural solution due to their exceptional carbon storage capability.

Dr. Maisa El Gamal, Dr. Imen Ben Salem, Dr. Ayisha Siddiqua, and, Prof. Yousef Nazzal at the College of Natural and Health Sciences, Zayed University, are working on a project titled “Assessment of the Potential of Mangrove Forests for Carbon Capture and Sequestration and enhancing its effectiveness in Climate Change Mitigation.”

The purpose of the research is to assess the role of Mangroves in CO2 capture and sequestration and to enhance their effectiveness. The main outcomes are very promising showcasing the extraordinary capabilities of dryland Mangrove forests in CO2 capture and sequestration.

The UAE is planning to plant a staggering 100 million Mangrove trees by 2030 to bolster the country’s commitment to environmental stewardship.

Why Mangroves

Dr. El Gamal explains why Mangroves are unique among trees. She explains, “Mangroves nearly store 1,000 tons of carbon per hectare in the biomass and soils, this is an ecological treasure known as blue carbon. Yet Mangrove trees are being threatened because of coastal development, fish farms, pollution, and tidal alterations.” Between 2000 and 2015, there has been substantial deforestation of Mangroves which has liberated 122 million tons of carbon into the atmosphere.

The United Arab Emirates coastal line is adorned with Mangroves both natural and planted. Abu Dhabi has 110 square kilometers of Mangrove forest. The UAE is planning to plant a staggering 100 million Mangrove trees by 2030 to bolster the country’s commitment to environmental stewardship. The Mangrove tree species Avicennia marina, commonly known as grey Mangrove, grown majorly in the UAE, has demonstrated remarkable resilience to high salinity and soaring temperatures.

Dr. El Gamal emphasizes that understanding the CO2 sequestration potential of Mangrove forests is paramount as climate change would result in soaring temperatures and coastal inundation leading to a highly saline coastal environment. Studies of Mangrove forests would equip the UAE and the world with crucial insights to refine and enhance Mangrove Forest conservation strategies.

Remarkable carbon capture machines

The research also studies the efficiency of various management options for increasing Mangrove forests’ CO2 sequestration capacity and its economic and social ramifications.

Currently, extensive biomass assessments are being carried out to determine carbon reserves in the above-ground and belowground components of Mangroves with predictive models being developed. Preliminary CO2 sequestration studies of soil and aerial roots were carried out in the Mangroves from the Jubail Mangrove Park, Abu Dhabi, UAE.

The results show that the soil sample at zero distance from the tree sequesters 10% more CO2 than the soil sample 10 meters away from the tree. The aerial roots showed 53% CO2 sequestration. These results show the immense capabilities of Mangrove forests.

Dr. Imen Ben Salem adds, “Mangroves rooted in water are remarkable carbon capture machines. A single Mangrove tree can snag as much as 25 kilograms of CO2 emissions annually, surpassing the carbon uptake of many other tree varieties, which typically lock in around 20 kilograms of CO2 per year when we compare trees with an average age of 25 years.”

Even when comparing soil carbon content across various forest types, Mangrove sediments shine, containing an impressive 36.1 kg m−2 of blue carbon within the top 1 meter of sediment.

This figure far surpasses the estimated soil carbon pools of different ecosystems like closed savannas, croplands, deciduous broadleaf forests, and more.

Interestingly Mangroves also demonstrate a distinctive ability to adapt to climate fluctuations. They compensate for rising sea levels by accreting their root remains, resulting in substantial carbon accumulation in their sediments—ranging from 900 to 3,000 Mg C/ha. This revelation underscores the unparalleled efficacy of Mangrove trees in water when sequestering and storing carbon.

Mangroves and Sustainability

The research finds that the Mangrove forests are a natural remedy to combat climate change. Dr. Ayisha Siddiqua asserts that they not only excel in sequestering carbon but are resilient in the process.

As such in line with the UAE’s commitment to sustainability and its plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, Prof. Yousef Nazzal believes that this research will play a pivotal role in shaping conservation and restoration strategies for Mangrove forests in the UAE, thus mitigating climate change.

The future of Mangrove research

Dr. El Gamal and Dr. Ayisha Siddiqua suggest that metagenomic studies are crucial in unraveling the CO2 fixation pathways, providing invaluable insights into the intricate interactions within Mangrove ecosystems. Such research has the potential to revolutionize Mangrove restoration and preservation strategies through a microorganism-centric approach.

Dr. Ben Salem concludes that by harnessing vegetation indices, tracking phenological shifts, and conducting health assessments, we can unravel the growth patterns and transformative journey of these vital Mangrove forests. Through this innovative approach, we aim to shed light on the intricate dynamics that dictate the evolution of these ecosystems over time.

Did you know?

The vision for the UAE was inspired by its Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed, known as the First Environmentalist and pioneered most of the environmental conservation efforts.

In the 1970s, massive mangrove plantation programmes were put in place by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.

Abu Dhabi has the older mangrove restoration and afforestation initiatives worldwide. Some mangroves in Abu Dhabi are nearly 100 years old.

In 2015, mangroves occupied an estimated 14,117 hectares in scattered locations throughout Abu Dhabi.

The Environment Agency Abu Dhabi works to rehabilitate and protect mangrove forests and in the last decade has been actively involved in leading the Mangrove Rehabilitation Programme, planting 3.1 million mangrove saplings on the coasts of Al Gharbia, Saadiyat, Jubail and Habitat Island.

During COP26 in Glasgow, the UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment announced a nationwide plan to plant 100 million mangroves by 2030.