STUDIES ON THE BIOMASS OF SONNERATIA CASEOLARIS STAND

The paper deals with the biomass and production of average 5-aged Sonneratia caseolaris stand naturally regenerated. The biomass of tree layer was measured by allometric method and that of shrub and litter layer was measured by method of plot harvest. The result showed that the total biomass of the stand is 47.2340 t/ha, in which, tree, shrub and litter layer is 19.3608 t/ha, 27.5482 t/ha and 0.3250 t/ha respectively. The mean net production of tree layer is 3.8702 t/ha. Comparing with the mangroves in Matang, Malysia, the productivity of Sonneratia caseolaris stand in Hainan Island is higher than that of Rhizophora apiculata stand but much lower than that of managed mangroves.The biomass distribution in different layers of the stand is unreasonable, therefore, the shrub of Aegiceras corniculatum should be thinned to improve the growth and regeneration of the trees and increase productivity of the stand.