Mangrove Avicennia marina in the Red Sea and their role in carbon sequestration and climate change mitigation

Mangrove Avicennia marina in the Red Sea and their role in carbon sequestration and climate change mitigation

Ramatu Idris SHA’ABA, Abdullahi Bala ALHASSAN

Abstract. Mangrove forests, particularly Avicennia marina in the Red Sea, are critical blue carbon ecosystems that play an essential role in global climate change mitigation. This study investigated six mangrove stands in the central Red Sea to examine how nutrient dynamics and physicochemical stressors influence carbon sequestration. Sediment analyses revealed total organic carbon (TOC) values ranging from 1.18% to 4.67%, with δ13C signatures (–29.7‰ to –26.8‰) suggesting both autochthonous and allochthonous carbon inputs. Sites exposed to higher salinity (40.7‰) and temperature (29.3 °C) recorded lower dissolved oxygen (5.2 mg/L) and stronger oxidative stress responses in A. marina leaves, as reflected by elevated catalase, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione-S-transferase activities. Nevertheless, nutrient-enriched sites, such as Rabigh, showed greater biomass and carbon accumulation, demonstrating the resilience of these mangroves under stressful conditions. Conserving and restoring Red Sea mangroves will therefore deliver dual benefits strengthening climate mitigation through CO₂ capture and enhancing ecosystem resilience in arid coastal environments.

Keywords
Mangroves, Avicennia Marina, Blue Carbon, Climate Change Mitigation, Oxidative Stress, Red Sea

Published online 6/20/2026, 5 pages
Copyright © 2026 by the author(s)
Published under license by Materials Research Forum LLC., Millersville PA, USA

Citation: Ramatu Idris SHA’ABA, Abdullahi Bala ALHASSAN, Mangrove Avicennia marina in the Red Sea and their role in carbon sequestration and climate change mitigation, Materials Research Proceedings, Vol. 67, pp 185-189, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.21741/9781644904176-26

The article was published as article 26 of the book Climate Action and Sustainability

Content from this work may be used under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license. Any further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the title of the work, journal citation and DOI.

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