Mangrove trees grow in tropical and sub-tropical coastal areas, which experience inundation and dry periods during high and low tides. Mangroves have essential functions in ecological, physical, and economic aspects, also as potential carbon storage. The study aimed to explore mangrove species, the substrate’s total organic carbon (TOC) and DNA of the associated mud-skippers in the Cawan island, Riau, Indonesia. The study was approached using a new paradigm where two aspects were combined: allometric equations and DNA methods. Rhizophora apiculata, Rhizophora mucronata, Bruguiera gymnorrhiza, Lumnitzera racemosa, Acrostichum aureum, and Nypa fruticans were six species found in the ecosystem. The dominant species is R. apiculata, which can reach a height of 15 m, much taller than in other parts of Indonesia. The mangroves’ substrate acidity ranges between 5-7, with a density range of 390-690 trees ha-1. The content of the substrate organic carbon is 6.793-16.323 tons C ha-1. The study revealed that only two species of mud-skipper survive in this specific acidic mangrove substrate: Periopthalmodon schlosseri and Parapocryptes serperaster, which was confirmed by DNA analysis. The results of this study could be beneficial for managing and conserving the mangrove ecosystem and for developing coastal ecotourism on Cawan Island and in other regions.
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