TY - JOUR
T1 - A practical index to estimate mangrove conservation status
T2 - The forests from La Paz Bay, Mexico as a case study
AU - Ávila-Flores, Giovanni
AU - Juárez-Mancilla, Judith
AU - Hinojosa-Arango, Gustavo
AU - Cruz-Chávez, Plácido
AU - López-Vivas, Juan Manuel
AU - Arizpe-Covarrubias, Oscar
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 by the author.
PY - 2020/2/1
Y1 - 2020/2/1
N2 - Mangrove cover has declined significantly in recent years in tropical and subtropical areas around the world. Under this scenario, it is necessary to elaborate and implement tools that allow us to make estimations on their conservation status and improve their protection and support decision-making. This study developed an index using qualitative and quantitative data. The criterions used in the index were: (1) Remnant Vegetation Index, (2) Delphi Method Survey, and (3) Rapid Assessment Questionnaire. In turn, the weights of the criterions were defined using the analytical hierarchy process (AHP). Once the values of each criterion were obtained, the index was applied to 17 mangrove communities located in La Paz Bay, Mexico. Finally, according to their score, they were classified based on the IUCN Red List of Ecosystems. The results show that five communities were ranked in the category Minor Concern, eight in Little Threatened, one in Vulnerable, one in Endangered, and two were classified as Deficiency of Data. These results are slightly different from other studies in the region and validate this index as a proper method. Therefore, it could be applied to other sites, especially in areas with little information and/or scarce monetary resources.
AB - Mangrove cover has declined significantly in recent years in tropical and subtropical areas around the world. Under this scenario, it is necessary to elaborate and implement tools that allow us to make estimations on their conservation status and improve their protection and support decision-making. This study developed an index using qualitative and quantitative data. The criterions used in the index were: (1) Remnant Vegetation Index, (2) Delphi Method Survey, and (3) Rapid Assessment Questionnaire. In turn, the weights of the criterions were defined using the analytical hierarchy process (AHP). Once the values of each criterion were obtained, the index was applied to 17 mangrove communities located in La Paz Bay, Mexico. Finally, according to their score, they were classified based on the IUCN Red List of Ecosystems. The results show that five communities were ranked in the category Minor Concern, eight in Little Threatened, one in Vulnerable, one in Endangered, and two were classified as Deficiency of Data. These results are slightly different from other studies in the region and validate this index as a proper method. Therefore, it could be applied to other sites, especially in areas with little information and/or scarce monetary resources.
KW - AHP
KW - Delphi Method
KW - GIS
KW - MCDA
KW - Sustainable development
KW - Wetlands
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85081255642&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3390/su12030858
DO - 10.3390/su12030858
M3 - Artículo
AN - SCOPUS:85081255642
SN - 2071-1050
VL - 12
JO - Sustainability (Switzerland)
JF - Sustainability (Switzerland)
IS - 3
M1 - 858
ER -