What drives carbon stocks in a mangrove forest? The role of stand structure, species diversity and functional traits

Mangrove forests provide a variety of ecosystem services, and among them, the ability to sequester large quantities of below-ground carbon reservoirs is considered the most critical service for mitigating climate change. Therefore, most mangrove studies are highly concerned with estimating ecosystem carbon stocks, while only a few studies have focused on the factors driving these carbon stocks. Thus, we examined the role of stand structure, species diversity, and functional traits on above-ground, below-ground, and total carbon stocks using data from 28 sampling plots from the low salinity zone of the Sundarbans mangrove forest in Bangladesh. We also aimed to understand the distribution patterns of carbon stocks among different components of the ecosystem, such as above-ground, below-ground soil, and roots. The…