Structural characteristics, above‐ground biomass and productivity of mangrove forest situated in areas with different levels of pollution in the Niger Delta, Nigeria

Abstract

Abstract Productivity is a major driver of carbon sequestration in mangrove ecosystems worldwide. It is hypothesized that hydrocarbon pollution can accelerate litter fall and increase productivity through detoxification. We studied structural characteristics, above ground biomass ( AGB ) and productivity of mangroves in higher and lower polluted locations in the Niger River Delta, Nigeria. We established four 400 m 2 plots in a random block design to test the effects of pollution on mangrove productivity. A total of 1,089 mangrove tree structural characteristics and importance values ( I V ) were estimated. For productivity, ten litter traps (0.1521 m 2 ) were established within each plot, and emptied monthly for three years, June 2010 – June 2013. Total productivity was significantly different between treatments ( F 1, 1378 = 9.673, p < .001), with highly polluted having higher total productivity. Flowers ( F 1, 1378 = 9.673, p < .001) and fruits ( F 1, 1378 = 9.673, p < .001) productivity varied between treatments too, again with the highly polluted being significantly greater. Our results indicate that pollution increased litter fall, and thus altered productivity in the Niger Delta mangrove. To the best of our understanding, this is the first time productivity has been reported in the primary literature for the Niger Delta mangrove ecosystem.