Mangrove soils represent a large sink for otherwise rapidly recycled carbon (C). However, widespread deforestation threatens the preservation of this important C stock. It is therefore imperative that global patterns in mangrove soil C stocks and their susceptibility to remineralization are understood. Here, we present patterns in mangrove soil C stocks across hemispheres, latitudes, countries and mangrove community compositions, and estimate potential annual CO2 emissions for countries where mangroves occur. Global potential CO2 emissions from soils as a result of mangrove loss were estimated to be 7.0 Tg CO2e yr1. Countries with the highest potential CO2 emissions from soils are Indonesia (3,410 Gg CO2e yr1) and Malaysia (1,288 Gg CO2e yr1). The patterns described serve as a baseline by which countries can assess their mangrove soil C stocks and potential emissions from mangrove deforestation.

Support was provided by the CSIRO Coastal Carbon Biogeochemistry Cluster.We also acknowledge the support of The Oceans Institute of the University ofWestern Australia, the Global Change Institute of The University of Queensland, and the Australian Research Council (Awards DE130101084, DE170101524, LP160100242, LE140100083 and DP150103286) and King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) through the baseline fund to C.M.D.

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