Advancing Mangrove Carbon Stock Monitoring With Drone and Pleiades Imagery on Gilibakau Island-Saleh Bay, Indonesia

Mangrove ecosystems play a pivotal role in climate change mitigation due to their exceptional carbon sequestration capacity and the vital ecosystem services they provide. This study examines changes in mangrove cover and estimates carbon stocks on Gilibakau Island, Saleh Bay, Indonesia, utilizing Pleiades satellite imagery and drone-derived data. Analysis of Pleiades imagery from 2020 and 2022 identified an increase in mangrove area from 6.53 hectares to 6.71 hectares, attributed primarily to rehabilitation initiatives, including replanting programs. Biomass was quantified using drone-based data collected in 2024, employing a tree height-based allometric model. The estimated biomass ranged from 23.63 to 192.69 tonnes per hectare, reflecting the high-density mangrove cover and its significant carbon storage potential. Regression analysis revealed a strong correlation (R² = 0.863) between Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) values and biomass, validating NDVI as an effective proxy for mangrove biomass estimation.