JOSE ALFONSO O. ALTAMIRA, LAINLY D. QUILANTANG, KARLA FAITH C. SANTAMARIA (MARCH 2013)
Philippine Science High School Western Visayas Campus – Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PSHS WVC), Brgy. Bito-on, Jaro, Iloilo City 5000, Philippines
ABSTRACT
This study estimated the carbon dioxide sequestered and by a 29.5 hectare mangrove area in Barangays Hinactacan and Ingore, La Paz, Iloilo City for the months of April, July and October 2012. The area is foreseen to be a potential carbon sink for the carbon dioxide emitted by the 164 -megawatt Panay Coal Fired Power Plant. Four 100 m² plots were set and the allometric equation by Komiyama and others (2005) was used to quantify the total above ground biomass and the carbon stock of the area. As of April, the mangrove area is estimated to have sequestered 17 382.98 tonnes of carbon dioxide which increased to 22 447.86 tonnes by July and 22 339.73 tonnes by October. The power plant was estimated to emit 1,874 kilotonnes of CO₂ annually. The mangrove area is unable to offset this amount, having a sequestration rate of 11,913.49 tonnes/year which is approximately 0.64% of the power plant’s emissions.