Estimation of seagrass blue carbon stocks in Ahmad Rhang Manyang and Ujung Pancu Waters, Aceh Besar District

Abstract

The blue carbon was concepted by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) in 2009, refers to the ability of marine and coastal ecosystems such as mangrove, seagrass, and tidal marshes to capture and store carbon dioxide through photosynthesis. This study aims to analyze the estimation of seagrass blue carbon stock and sequestration in Ahmad Rhang Manyang and Ujung Pancu. Data were collected using the plot transect method to assess cover, density, biomass and use model calculations called Seagrass Carbon Converter (SCC) to assess seagrass carbon stocks. Three species of seagrass were found at four research stations are Halodule pinifolia, Halophila ovalis, Halophila minor. The result showed that seagrass cover in Ahmad Rhang Manyang waters was 27.95% in the poor category and in Ujung Pancu waters was 39.4% in the medium category.. The seagrass carbon stock in Ahmad Rhang Manyang 123.93 gram C/m2 and in Ujung Pancu was 231.43 gram C/m2. The seagrass carbon absorption value in Ahmad Rhang Manyang was 4.16 TC/Ha/year (tons of carbon per hectare per year) and Ujung Pancu is 15.5 TC/Ha/year.