Effects of anthropic activity dynamics on mangrove ecosystems’ degradation in Caracol County – Haiti

Abstract

Anthropization process and climatic changes, mainly deforestation and sea level rise, are factors significantly contributing to the most evident loss of mangrove ecosystems. The aim of our study is to analyze variables related to the effects of the dynamics of human activities closely associated with these ecosystems’ degradation. The Geographic Information System tool allowed identifying and comparing soil use and occupation variations based on information provided by 140 randomly chosen participants in Caracol County - Haiti. Interviews were carried out in loco between March and November 2020. Based on results statistically analyzed through multivariate regression tests, the most significant exploratory variable for the mangroves’ degradation process (p<0.05) was “mangrove occupation”, regardless of age, sex, schooling, time in the same residence, profession, home distance from the mangrove, landslide events, and risk of floods. We have concluded that distance from home, ecological function, intervention in biodiversity conservation, as well as water-climatic and geo-physical threats are factors closely correlated to mangroves’ environmental conservation and management (p<0.05).