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Our current knowledge on production, composition, transport, pathways and transformations of organic carbon in tropical mangrove environments is reviewed and discussed. Organic carbon entering mangrove foodwebs is either produced autochthonously or imported by tides and/or rivers. Mangrove litter and benthic microalgae are usually the most important autochthonous carbon sources. Depending on local conditions, phytoplankton and seagrass detritus imported with tides may represent a significant supplementary carbon input. Litter handling by the fauna not only affects microbial carbon transformations, but also the amount of organic carbon available for export. Most mangrove detritus that enters the sediment is degraded by microorganisms. Aerobic respiration and anaerobic sulfate reduction are usually considered the most important microbial respiration processes, but recent evidence suggests that iron …