Dataset: National total ecosystem carbon stock for the mangroves of Belize.
Hannah
Morrissette
morrissetteh@si.edu
Hannah
Morrissette
author
Stacy
Baez
author
Lisa
Beers
author
Nadia
Bood
author
Ninon
Martinez
author
Kevin
Novelo
author
Gilbert
Andrews
author
Luis
Balan
author
C. Scott
Beers
author
Sumeet
Betancourt
author
Reynel
Blanco
author
Eeryn
Bowden
author
Virginia
Burns-Perez
author
Mercedes
Carcamo
author
Luis
Chevez
author
Stephen
Crooks
author
Ilka
Feller
author
Galento
Galvez
author
Kent
Garbutt
author
Ronny
Gongora
author
Edalmi
Grijalva
author
Jonathan
Lefcheck
author
Alwyn
Mahung
author
Colin
Mattis
author
Tre
McKoy
author
Daniel
McLaughlin
author
Johan
Meza
author
Edwardo
Pott
author
Genevieve
Ramirez
author
Vivian
Ramnarace
author
Anthony
Rash
author
Samir
Rosado
author
Honorio
Santos
author
Leomir
Santoya
author
Wilson
Sosa
author
Gabriela
Ugarte
author
Jose
Viamil
author
Arlene
Young
author
Jayron
Young
author
Steven
Canty
author
2023
This dataset release presents the first national total ecosystem carbon stock values for the mangrove of Belize associated with the published manuscript, “Belize Blue Carbon: Establishing a national carbon stock estimate for mangrove ecosystems”. The Belize Blue Carbon project was a collaborative approach to comprehensive nationwide sampling of a range of mangrove ecotypes for ten mangrove sites and one seagrass sampling site. Sampling occurred in September 2021 and March 2022 along the full length of the Belizean coastline and offshore cayes, with species, distribution, hydrology, etc., varying between all sites for the highest level of representative sampling possible. Each site except two had two transects of six plots each [Hicks Caye had one transect for training purposes, and New River’s second transect only had three plots]. At the plot level (n = 111), almost 4,000 mangrove biomass measurements are condensed for average height, canopy width, and DBH, and also live, dead, and total biomass carbon, along with water quality parameters and site descriptions. At the sample level (n = 1356 for mangroves, n = 21 for seagrass), sediment core data are presented with loss on ignition, bulk density, and carbon values. These data supported the nationally determined contribution (NDC) update of Belize, and will be used to inform the country’s mangrove protection and restoration commitments.
Blue Carbon
Belize
mangrove
sediment
biomass
Mesoamerican Reef
This dataset is listed under a Creative Commons BY 4.0 and can be used with attribution. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Big Creek
-88.424776
-88.402406
16.511387
16.506934
Channel Caye
-88.164621
-88.163687
16.644835
16.643416
Drowned Caye
-88.064345
-88.062677
17.491855
17.489636
Frenchman Caye
-88.659754
-88.6557
16.182853
16.18206
Gra Gra Lagoon
-88.245422
-88.242735
16.939103
16.935931
Hicks Caye
-88.117022
-88.11592
17.691509
17.691317
New River
-88.392519
-88.384322
18.34228
18.337675
Payne's Creek
-88.593796
-88.591185
16.289436
16.280234
Shipstern Lagoon
-88.118299
-88.106667
18.339577
18.324404
Turneffe Atoll
-87.8256
-87.8123
17.28784
17.28534
2021
2022
Species
Rhizophora mangle
Species
Species
Laguncularia racemosa
Species
Avicennia germinans
Hannah
Morrissette
morrissetteh@si.edu
Morrissette_et_al_2023_methods
methods information for study
Morrissette_et_al_2023_methods.csv
column
,
study_id
Unique identifier for the study made up of the first author's family name, as well as the second author's family name or et al. if more than three, then publication year separated by underscores.
string
Free text
coring_method
Code indicating what type of device was used to collect soil depth profiles.
string
gouge auger
A half cylinder coring device in which the coring section is open, not sealed off by a fin
roots_flag
Code indicating whether live roots were included or excluded from carbon assessments.
string
roots and rhizomes included
Roots and rhizomes were included in dry bulk density and or organic matter and carbon measurements
compaction_flag
Code indicating how the authors qualified or quantified compaction of the core.
string
corer limits compaction
Authors specified that the coring device's design minimized compaction
dry_bulk_density_temperature
Temperature at which samples were dried to measure dry bulk density. This can include either samples that were freeze dried or oven dried.
float
celsius
real
dry_bulk_density_flag
Any notable codes regarding how the authors quantified dry bulk density.
string
to constant mass
Bulk density methodology did not specify drying temperature or length, only that samples were dried to a constant mass
loss_on_ignition_temperature
Temperature at which samples were combusted to estimate fraction organic matter.
float
celsius
real
loss_on_ignition_time
Time over which samples were combusted to estimate fraction organic matter.
float
hour
integer
carbon_measured_or_modeled
Code indicating whether fraction carbon was measured or estimated as a function of organic matter.
string
measured
Fraction carbon was measured as opposed to modeled
carbonates_removed
Whether or not carbonates were removed prior to calculating fraction organic carbon.
string
FALSE
Carbonates were not removed before measuring organic carbon
carbonate_removal_method
The method used to remove carbonates prior to measuring fraction carbon.
string
total carbon difference after LOI
Samples were run twice in the elemental analyzer. Once with original sample and once with sample after LOI occurred, values were differenced to determine organic carbon.
fraction_carbon_method
Code indicating the method for which fraction carbon was measured or modeled (Note: regression based models are permitted, but the use of the Bemmelen factor [0.58 gOC gOM-1] is discouraged).
string
EA
Each sample presented was measured using Elemental Analysis
carbon_profile_notes
Any other submitter defined notes describing methodologies for determining dry bulk density, organic matter fraction, and carbon fraction.
string
Free text
dry_bulk_density_time_min
Minimum time over which samples were dried to measure dry bulk density.
float
hour
integer
dry_bulk_density_time_max
Maximum time over which samples were dried to measure dry bulk density.
float
hour
integer
ground_or_sieved_flag
Indicates if sediment was sieved or ground prior to carbon measurements.
string
sediment ground
Sediment sample was homogenized prior to analysis.
Morrissette_et_al_2023_plots
plots information for study
Morrissette_et_al_2023_plots.csv
column
,
study_id
Unique identifier for the study made up of the first author's family name, as well as the second author's family name or et al. if more than three, then publication year separated by underscores.
string
Free text
site_id
Site identification code unique to each study.
string
Free text
inundation_notes
Notes about plot inundation at the time of sampling.
string
Free text
core_id
Core identification code unique to each site.
string
Free text
year
Year of core collection.
float
nominalYear
integer
month
Numeric month of year of core collection.
float
nominalMonth
integer
day
Numeric day of month of core collection.
float
nominalDay
integer
latitude
Positional latitude of the core in decimal degree WGS84.
float
degree
real
longitude
Positional longitude of the core in decimal degree WGS84.
float
degree
real
position_method
Code indicating how latitude and longitude were determined.
string
handheld
Conventional Commercially available hand-held GPS
habitat
Habitat classification of the sampled location based on description or dominate vegetation.
string
mangrove
Tropical and dominated by specialized shrubs or trees.
seagrass
Intertidal to subtidal and dominated by specialized predominantly submerged grasses.
pH
Soil porewater pH.
float
dimensionless
real
salinity
Salinity measured using a handheld refractometer (ppt) in porewater or as close to the pore water as possible if standing water was present.
float
dimensionless
real
ORP
Porewater oxygen reduction potential (or as close to the pore water as possible, if standing water was present) measured using a handheld combo tester.
float
millivolt
real
section_n
Number of core sections retrieved for sampling event.
float
number
real
max_depth
Maximum depth of sediment core sample.
float
centimeter
real
ecotype
Study-defined category of ecosystem type.
string
Caye
Offshore island site.
Riverine
Mainland coastal site along edge of a river or creek.
Lagoon
Mainland site on edge of internal body of water.
protection_status
Protection status of sampling site.
string
Protected
Part of a designated marine protected area or reserve.
National Legislation
Under standard government policy, not designated.
protection_notes
Notes about the protection status of a sampling site.
string
Free text
ecosystem_health
Overall health of each site, assessed in the field and classified by expert researchers.
string
healthy
Minimal disturbance with good mangrove growth
degraded
Sites with mostly dead or dying mangroves
disturbed
Objectively healthy sites with signs of anthropogenic influence such as tree harvesting
site_description
Site description including relevant study details and political geographic units.
string
Free text
transect_id
Transect identification code unique to each site.
string
Free text
tree_count
Number of mangrove trees counted per plot.
float
number
integer
plot_id
Plot identification code unique to each transect.
string
Free text
dominant_species
Species that had the highest relative abundance at each plot. If tied, both are stated.
string
Free text
plot_sediment_carbon
Total organic carbon in the full core taken from each plot (MgC ha-1).
float
megagramsPerHectare
real
plot_sediment_carbon_1m
Organic carbon in each core restricted to a 1m depth, as is IPCC standard reporting (MgC ha-1).
float
megagramsPerHectare
real
plot_biomass_carbon
Total biomass carbon per plot, including live and dead aboveground and belowground biomass carbon (MgC ha-1).
float
megagramsPerHectare
real
total_ecosystem_carbon
Total ecosystem carbon stock, summing total biomass carbon and total sediment (full core) carbon (MgC ha-1).
float
megagramsPerHectare
real
total_ecosystem_carbon_1m
Total ecosystem carbon stock, summing total biomass carbon and sediment carbon restricted to 1m (MgC ha-1).
float
megagramsPerHectare
real
Morrissette_et_al_2023_depthseries
depthseries information for study
Morrissette_et_al_2023_depthseries.csv
column
,
study_id
Unique identifier for the study made up of the first author's family name, as well as the second author's family name or et al. if more than three, then publication year separated by underscores.
string
Free text
site_id
Site identification code unique to each study.
string
Free text
core_id
Core identification code unique to each site.
string
Free text
depth_min
Minimum depth of a sampling increment.
float
centimeter
real
depth_max
Maximum depth of a sampling increment.
float
centimeter
real
dry_bulk_density
Dry mass per unit volume of a soil sample. This does not include ash free bulk density.
float
gramsPerCubicCentimeter
real
transect_id
Transect identification code unique to each site.
string
Free text
plot_id
Plot identification code unique to each transect.
string
Free text
soil_organic_matter
Percent of organic matter mass relative to sample dry mass.
float
dimensionless
real
soil_total_carbon
Percent of total carbon in sample based on elemental analysis.
float
dimensionless
real
soil_inorganic_carbon
Percent of inorganic carbon in sample based on elemental analysis.
float
dimensionless
real
soil_organic_carbon
Percent of organic carbon in sample, calculated as the difference between the total and inorganic carbon.
float
dimensionless
real
soil_nitrogen
Percent of nitrogen in sample based on elemental analysis.
float
dimensionless
real
soil_carbon_density_total
Density of total soil carbon in sample (gC cm-3).
float
gramsPerCubicCentimeter
real
soil_carbon_density_inorganic
Density of inorganic soil carbon in sample (gC cm-3).
float
gramsPerCubicCentimeter
real
soil_carbon_density_organic
Density of organic soil carbon in sample (gC cm-3).
float
gramsPerCubicCentimeter
real
carbon_stock_total
Total amount of carbon in core section (MgC ha-1).
float
megagramsPerHectare
real
carbon_stock_inorganic
Amount of inorganic carbon in core section (MgC ha-1).
float
megagramsPerHectare
real
carbon_stock_organic
Amount of organic carbon in core section (MgC ha-1).
float
megagramsPerHectare
real
Morrissette_et_al_2023_biomass
biomass information for study
Morrissette_et_al_2023_biomass.csv
column
,
study_id
Unique identifier for the study made up of the first author's family name, as well as the second author's family name or et al. if more than three, then publication year separated by underscores.
string
Free text
site_id
Site identification code unique to each study.
string
Free text
species_code
Code associated with a species or a vegetation assemblage.
string
Free text
biomass_aboveground
Aboveground biomass calculated using species-specific allometric equations (Smith & Whelan, 2006).
float
kilogram
real
biomass_aboveground_scaled
Aboveground biomass converted to Mg ha-1. Includes aboveground live, standing dead, and woody debris.
float
megagramsPerHectare
real
biomass_belowground
Belowground biomass calculated using species-specific allometric equations (Komiyama et al., 2005).
float
kilogram
real
biomass_belowground_scaled
Belowground biomass converted to Mg ha-1.
float
megagramsPerHectare
real
biomass_total
Combined above and belowground biomass.
float
megagramsPerHectare
real
biomass_aboveground_carbon
Aboveground carbon (MgC ha-1) derived from aboveground biomass. Conversion factor of 0.48 for live/dead standing wood. The converversion for dead standing wood was applied after decay correction for decay classes 1 and 2. Pieces in decay class 3 applied the conversion to the decay 3 aboveground biomass (Mg ha-1) value. Conversion factor of 0.5 used for downed (debris) wood.
float
megagramsPerHectare
real
biomass_belowground_carbon
Belowground carbon (MgC ha-1) derived from belowground biomass using a conversion factor of 0.39.
float
megagramsPerHectare
real
biomass_total_carbon
Combined above and belowground carbon (MgC ha-1).
float
megagramsPerHectare
real
decay_class
Decay class as described in Howard et al. (2014).
string
1
Newly dead, little twigs present
2
Mostly larger banches present
3
Standing trunk only
plot_density
Density of plot, espressed in per hectare.
float
numberPerHectare
real
plot_radius
Radius of plot.
float
meter
integer
biomass_decay_corrected
Aboveground biomass adjusted for reduction in biomass based on decay class. Decay class 1 = reduce by 2.5%; Decay class 2 = reduce by 15%; Decay class 3 = reduce by 50%.
float
kilogram
real
decay_3_wood_volume
Dead tree volume (following Howard et al., 2014) used for decay class 3.
float
cubicCentimeter
real
diameter_dbh
Diameter of tree at breast height.
float
centimeter
real
diameter_base
Diameter of tree at the base.
float
centimeter
real
diameter_qmd
Quadratic mean diameter (following Howard et al., 2014).
float
centimeter
real
decay_3_biomass_g
Dead tree biomass for decay class 3, calculated as dead tree volume multiplied by a wood density of 0.69 g cm-3.
float
gram
real
decay_3_biomass_Mg
Dead tree biomass for decay class 3 scaled up to megagrams.
float
megagram
real
decay_3_biomass_aboveground
Aboveground biomass derived from dead tree biomass (Mg) for decay class 3.
float
megagramsPerHectare
real
wood_volume
Wood volume (following Howard et al., 2014).
float
meterCubedPerHectare
real
wood_volume_flag
Indicates how wood volume (m3 ha-1) was calculated based on the quadratic mean diameter.
string
diameter <7.6cm
Calculated as ((π^2)*number of pieces*(QMD^2)) / (8*transect length)
diameter >7.6cm
Calculated as ((π^2) * [ ∑(each diameter^2) / (8*transect length) ]
biomass_downed_wood
Downed wood biomass (following Howard et al., 2014), calculated as wood volume multiplied by a wood density of 710 kg m-3.
float
kilogramsPerHectare
real
tree_height
Height of tree.
float
centimeter
real
canopy_width
Width of tree canopy.
float
centimeter
real
biomass_flag
Code indicating whether sample analyzed for biomass was catalogued as live, dead, or debris.
string
live
Living biomass
dead
Standing dead wood
debris
Downed woody debris
transect_id
Transect identification code unique to each site.
string
Free text
plot_id
Plot identification code unique to each transect.
string
Free text
cubic centimeter
one month excluding leap seconds and leap days, 2628000 seconds
megagrams per hectare