**5. Conclusions**

The results of the present work constitute the first innovative use of the categorization of the Red List of Ecosystems by the IUCN for the mangroves communities. The MCSI integrates not only reliable quantitative indicators but also qualitative indicators to provide a more accurate conservation status for the mangrove communities; however, it is limited by the availability of data for some areas of interest. The multidisciplinary approach of the MCSI allows for its application at data deficient mangrove communities for an initial evaluation and guides future research e fforts. The proposed MCSI index is a reliable tool for the managemen<sup>t</sup> and conservation of mangrove communities; nonetheless, it could be improved as new methods to collect substantial data for additional indicators become available.

**Author Contributions:** Conceptualization, G. Á.-F., J.J.-M., O.A.-C., and G.H.-A.; Investigation, G. Á.-F.; Methodology, G. Á.-F. and P.C.-C.; Project administration, G. Á.-F. and J.J.-M.; Validation, G. Á.-F.; Writing—original draft, G. Á.-F. and G.H.-A.; Writing—Review and Editing, G. Á.-F., J.J.-M., P.C.-C., O.A.-C., J.M.L.-V. and G.H.-A. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

**Funding:** The first author states support for this work was provided by the National Council of Science and Technology of Mexico (CONACYT) through a scholarship for his Ph.D. studies (CVU: 471803).

**Acknowledgments:** This paper is based partially on Ávila-Flores, 2016 and other data collected for the doctoral thesis of the first author. We thank Candidate Pablo Hernández-Morales, for his advice on spatial analysis and the M.Sc. Liliana Paredes-Lozano for her support during fieldwork and for proofreading the article. Finally, we would like to thank the mangrove experts who participated in the Delphi Method Survey and the three reviewers whose commentaries and suggestions greatly improved to this paper.

**Conflicts of Interest:** The authors declare no conflict of interest.
