Mário Luiz Gomes Soares

Annual growth rings in the mangrove Laguncularia racemosa (Combretaceae)

Stem discs from trees of known age were used to determine the periodic nature of the growth rings formed in Laguncularia racemosa and to describe the anatomical features of these rings. The growth rings were scarcely distinct on microscopic examination, but they were well distinguishable macroscopically, with alternating light brown and dark brown layers. Cross-dating analysis revealed the occurrence of annual growth rings in L. racemosa. The existence of annual growth rings in L. racemosa suggests that it may have great potential for dendrochronology and should encourage age-related studies on the dynamics of mangrove forests. These studies can be important for the evaluation of climate change impact on mangrove ecosystems, as well as for the analysis of effects related to climate variability on plant communities.

Chapter Nine Mangroves as indicators of sea level change in the muddy coasts of the world

Abstract Great concern has been expressed regarding the impacts of global warming and sea level rise on coastal areas and associated wetlands. Mangroves have been identified as potentially good indicators for detecting and monitoring sea level changes, because they occupy unconsolidated sediments subject to processes which would be influenced by sea level changes, and are known to display rapid responses to hydrological, geomorphic and climatic changes. Because mangroves develop under varying tidal regimes and imputs of fresh water, nutrients and sediments, patterns of response to sea level changes cannot be easily extrapolated from one location to another. In this paper, we suggest that Thoms (1984) physiographic classification of mangrove environments, coupled with an eco-regional approach, could be used to develop a framework for implementing long-term studies, monitoring sea-level changes, and help plan appropriate management policies to address the expected impacts.

The economic evaluation of carbon storage and sequestration as ecosystem services of mangroves: a case study from southeastern Brazil

Although mangroves are recognized by high capacity of carbon storage and sequestration, few studies have been dedicated to determine the monetary value of this ecosystem service. Accordingly, the aim of this study is to assign monetary values to this service in a protected area (Southeastern Brazil). This economic valuation was performed considering preexisting estimates of carbon storage and sequestration in the aboveground biomass of these forests and average transaction values of carbon credits. The mean values of the service of carbon sequestration varied according to the physiographic type from 19.00 ± 10.00 US

Global patterns of aboveground carbon stock and sequestration in mangroves

ha−1 yr−1 (basin forests, high intertidal) to 82.28 ± 32.10 US

Conflitos socioambientais: o caso da carcinicultura no complexo estuarino Caravelas - Nova Viçosa/Bahia-Brasil

ha−1 yr−1 (fringe forests, low intertidal). Considering the area occupied by each physiographic type, the service of carbon sequestration may be worth up to 455,827 US

Occurrence of annual growth rings in Rhizophora mangle in a region with low climate seasonality

yr−1. In regard to carbon storage, 3,477,041 US

First Assessment of Carbon Stock in the Belowground Biomass of Brazilian Mangroves

are stored in these forests, and values between 104,311 and 208,622 US

Reducing Uncertainty in Mapping of Mangrove Aboveground Biomass Using Airborne Discrete Return Lidar Data

ha−1 yr−1 can be considered as the annual maintenance cost of this service. The income generated by future projects for the maintenance of carbon-related functions may represent a major advance for the conservation of this ecosystem.

Forest species of coastal plain as potential tools for coastal management and social technology in Caravelas, Bahia (Brazil)

In order to contribute to understand the factors that control the provisioning of the ecosystem service of carbon storage by mangroves, data on carbon stock and sequestration in the aboveground biomass (AGB) from 73 articles were averaged and tested for the dependence on latitude, climatic parameters, physiographic types and age. Global means of carbon stock (78.0 ± 64.5 tC.ha-1) and sequestration (2.9 ± 2.2 tC.ha-1.yr-1) showed that mangroves are among the forest ecosystems with greater capacity of carbon storage in AGB per area. On the global scale, carbon stock increases toward the equator (R²=0.22) and is dependent on 13 climatic parameters, which can be integrated in the following predictive equation: Carbon Stock in AGB = -16.342 + (8.341 x Isothermality) + (0.021 x Annual Precipitation) [R²=0.34; p < 0.05]. It was shown that almost 70% of carbon stock variability is explained by age. Carbon stock and sequestration also vary according to physiographic types, indicating the importance of hydroperiod and edaphic parameters to the local variability of carbon stock. By demonstrating the contribution of local and regional-global factors to carbon stock, this study provides information to the forecast of the effects of future climate changes and local anthropogenic forcings on this ecosystem service.

Preliminary Study of Trace Metals by Environmental Quality Criteria in Sediments from a Mangrove Forest inSaco do Mamanguá(Ilha Grande Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)

This article analyzes a socioenvironmental conflict in the municipality of Caravelas, Bahia / Brazil. The studied conflict emerged from the proposal for the establishment of what would become the largest shrimp farm in Brazil. The proposed area for the establishment of the shrimp farm was part of an important socioeconomic and environmental region associated to the Abrolhos Coral Reef Bank. It assumes that the lack of public policies that define the parameters of the decision-making for financing shrimp farming projects has allowed the establishment of shrimp farms along the Brazilian coast, without pointing sustainable productive alternatives, which consider the generation of employment and food production. The qualitative methodology adopted participant observation and fieldwork aiming to identify the environmental damage associated to shrimp farming and relate them to factors that contribute to the perpetuation of these predatory model and for the establishment of resistance movements in order to identify local potentialities and possible paths for a sustainable social and environmental management.