Dataset: Planted mangroves cap toxic petroleum-contaminated sediments

Dataset contains information on hydrocarbon content in mangrove sediments from three sampling sites at Stony Creek, Victoria, Australia. At each sampling site, we collected three soil cores (1 m deep or until bedrock was reached) using a PVC pipe (5 cm internal diameter, 120 cm length) to profile the hydrocarbon content within the sediment. Nine sediment cores (collected on 03/July/2019) were immediately transported to Deakin University (Burwood campus) and sliced at six depth intervals: 0–10, 10–20, 20–30, 30–50, 50–75 and 75–100 cm. Wet sediment samples were stored at 4℃ and shipped to the Analytical Reference Laboratory (Welshpool, Western Australia) for total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) and polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) analyses.

The dry content of PAHs and TPH and soil organic matter in mangrove sediments was estimated from a set of nine additional cores collected at the same three mangrove sites within the 5m by 5m plots. These additional soil cores were sliced at compatible intervals and dried at 60℃ (until a consistent weight was achieved). The organic matter was estimated by looking at the organic carbon in the sediments above the oil spill prior mangrove arrival (establishment horizon).