Abstract
The goal of this research was to address this need within and between different mangrove forest ecosystems. This study was conducted on Sanibel Island, Florida in three distinct mangrove habitat types characterized by dominant species composition and hydrology. Within each habitat type, annual soil respiration, and aboveground and belowground productivity were estimated from field-based measurements. Chapter 2 presents the results of the yearlong soil respiration research. In chapter 3, annual estimates of soil respiration, from Chapter 2 are combined with aboveground and belowground productivity from the same locations to compute annual ecosystem carbon budgets and net ecosystem productivity for each habitat. Chapter four is a synthesis and summary of the findings from both Chapter 2 and 3.
