Modelling the effects of land use on mangroves in a RAMSAR site of Panamá

Abstract

The role of mangroves as pivotal providers of ecosystem services has been widely acknowledged. In Latin America, mangroves play an important role in traditional coastal livelihoods, but the growing economy of these nations demands the expansion of land for development, putting pressure in ecosystems such as mangroves. Here we examine the impact of land use activities on mangroves in the Gulf of Montijo, a RAMSAR site located in the Pacific coast of Panama. Spatial information of land use was analysed, ground-truthed and classified into agriculture, aquaculture and coastal development, and subsequently ranked according to estimated level of impact on mangroves based on 27 interviews with local informants. We developed a spatially-referenced cumulative impact model of human activities on mangroves. Results showed that despite the protection status of the Gulf of Montijo, its mangrove forests are affected by localised human activities, dominated by agriculture. Given the importance of fishing for local livelihoods, evaluating the effects of agriculture, rice in particular, on mangroves and their associated fauna will be essential for the sustainable management of this RAMSAR site.

Contrasting drivers of abundant phage and prokaryotic communities revealed in diverse coastal ecosystems

“…Nonetheless, mangroves of the WA are influenced by much smaller tidal oscillations than in the EP. In addition, the WA supports thinner fringes of mangroves made of shorter trees than in the productive EP [14]. These contrasting coasts with similar habitat types of mangroves and coral reefs allow comparisons of phage and prokaryotic communities at two spatial scales, locally among the habitat types within an ocean and globally between the oceans [15].…”