The combination of the above- and below-ground C stocks resulted in a large capacity for ecosystem C storage in the CMNP mangrove forest (Fig. 5). Mean ecosystem C storage increased from the fringe toward the interior forest (ANOVA, p b 0.05), being 719.2 ± 38.0, 765.4 ± 79.4, and 802.1±12.3 MgC ha−1 for the fringe, transitional, and interior forests, respectively. The overall mean ecosystem C storage was 762.2± 57.2 MgC ha−1 for mangrove forest in the CMNP.