Species composition and density of mangrove forests in North Minahasa, Indonesia

The study explores the biodiversity of mangrove ecosystems in the North Minahasa District of North Sulawesi, Indonesia, emphasizing their critical roles in coastal protection, biodiversity conservation, and climate change mitigation. The study identifies five key mangrove species Rhizophora apiculata, R. mucronata, Sonneratia alba, Bruguiera gymnorhiza, and Ceriops tagal distributed across eleven locations in the district. This study measures species density and dominance using line transect methods. The results show that Tamberong Island has a high density of R. mucronata at 84.50 trees/m², indicating ecological dominance, while Talise Island has the lowest overall mangrove density at 933 trees/ha. Conversely, Kalinaung Village exhibits the highest density at 4,400 trees/ha. Mangrove coverage varies across the district, with Maen Village and Tanah Putih Village demonstrating high coverage percentages of 85.23% and 84.95%, respectively. In contrast, North Bahoi Village shows the lowest coverage at 73.36%.The study underscores the importance of maintaining biodiversity within mangrove forests to optimize their ecological functions, such as carbon sequestration and coastal protection.