Estimasi Biomassa dan Cadangan Karbon Mangrove di atas Permukaan Tanah di Desa Tanjung Rejo Kecamatan Percut Sei Tuan Menggunakan Unmanned Aerial Vechile (UAV)

Abstract

Global warming refers to increased CO2 in the atmosphere, which leads to climate change and rising sea levels. Protecting mangrove forests is an effective way to mitigate and adapt to the climate crisis. Mangroves act as absorbers of inorganic carbon (CO2), converting it into organic carbon in the form of vegetation. Mangrove ecosystems play a critical role in carbon storage as one of the most carbon-dense ecosystems in the world. One of the efforts to mitigate climate change is optimizing the role of mangroves in the photosynthesis process. Utilizing Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) technology can efficiently assist in analyzing carbon content in mangrove forests. The mangrove forests in Tanjung Rejo Village are still relatively extensive, with moderate to high density, making it necessary to study the potential of above-ground carbon storage. The objective of this study is to estimate the above-ground biomass (AGB) of mangroves and the carbon stock using UAV technology. Using UAV aerial imagery combined with geodetic GPS measurements produces a high-accuracy Digital Surface Model (DSM) and Digital Terrain Model (DTM). Mangrove canopy height is calculated by subtracting the DTM from the DSM and then converting it into Lorey’s height. Field surveys are also conducted to measure the diameter at breast height to derive Lorey’s height, which is then converted into mangrove biomass. The tallest mangrove canopy in Tanjung Rejo Village is 29 meters, located on the southwestern and northern edges of the forest. The AGB and estimated mangrove carbon stock in Tanjung Rejo Village range from 9 to 758 Mg/ha for AGB and 4 to 379 MgC/ha for carbon stock estimation. With a study area of 21 hectares, the estimated above-ground carbon storage potential in the study area is approximately 7,959 MgC.