Blue Carbon: Comparison of Chronosequences from Avicennia marina Plantation and Proteresia coarctata Dominated Mudflat, at the World’s Largest Mangrove Wetland

Sundarban is the world’s largest contiguous mangrove forest but under threat from anthropogenic interventions. Plantations are favored method to restore degraded mudflats. In this study, ecological functional soil indicators (available N, organic C, available P, salinity) and service (Blue carbon pool) of iteroparous tree Avicennia marina (Forssk.) Vierh. (Acanthaceae family), plantation has been compared with a natural mudflat dominated by semelparous grass Proteresia coarctata (Roxb.) Tateoka (Poacease family). Both sites were pressure. It was observed that P. site gone through fluctuations in species population between 2012 2016 higher Simpson’s dominance, lower value Shannon–Weiner Index. A one-way Analysis Variance (ANOVA), Principal Component (PCA), indicated have significantly varied linearly increased across years at A. site. Blue pool four times (10 cm depth) since only one time community within study period (2012–2016). This concludes can improve ecosystem function services mudflats aid achieving Sustainable Development Goal 13 (Climate action).