(Towards) Sustainable Mangrove Socioecological Systems

A special issue of Forests (ISSN 1999-4907). This special issue belongs to the section "Forest Ecology and Management".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2020) | Viewed by 12112

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Sustainability Research Institute, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
Interests: vulnerability and adaptation in agricultural systems; multi-resource systems/ecosystem services; common pool resources; institutions and natural resource management
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Guest Editor
Sustainability Research Institute, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, West Yorkshire, UK
Interests: socio-ecological systems; environment-development relationships; sustainable livelihoods; freshwater bio-assessment; neotropical macroinvertebrates

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Mangrove systems are increasingly recognized for the important roles they play globally as a carbon store, nationally in protecting shorelines from storm damage and flooding, and locally as a source of natural resources for livelihoods in coastal communities. These, and the myriad other services they provide, mean they are important socioecological systems, where mangrove extent and health are influenced by social processes (knowledge, policy and institutions) operating across governance levels, and where changes in mangrove ecosystems can have profound effects on people and their livelihoods. Despite the multiple benefits that mangrove ecosystems provide, they are under increasing pressure from a changing climate, resource overuse, clearance and coastal development. There is a pressing need to understand the dynamics of human–nature interactions and feedbacks in mangrove socioecological systems, their resilience in the face of social and biophysical change and how this knowledge might be applied to identify sustainable futures. We encourage studies from all fields to contribute to this Special Issue, but particularly from those using interdisciplinary approaches, in order to promote knowledge and strategies for a sustainable future for mangrove socioecological systems across the globe.

Prof. Dr. Claire Helen Quinn
Dr. Rachael Carrie
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • Mangrove socioecological systems
  • Resilience
  • Adaptive capacity
  • Ecosystem services
  • Sustainability
  • Natural resource management
  • Mangrove condition/health

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

23 pages, 3752 KiB  
Article
Local Ecological Knowledge on Mangroves in Mayotte Island (Indian Ocean) and Influencing Factors
by Esméralda Longépée, Anliati Ahmed Abdallah, Matthieu Jeanson and Claire Golléty
Forests 2021, 12(1), 53; https://doi.org/10.3390/f12010053 - 1 Jan 2021
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 4086
Abstract
The majority of studies on local ecological knowledge (LEK) relate to communities or groups relying on ecosystem(s) for their livelihood. In our case study, Mayotte Island, a French overseas department, very few people rely on mangrove ecosystem for natural resources but most of [...] Read more.
The majority of studies on local ecological knowledge (LEK) relate to communities or groups relying on ecosystem(s) for their livelihood. In our case study, Mayotte Island, a French overseas department, very few people rely on mangrove ecosystem for natural resources but most of them are attached to it because of leisure activities and beliefs. The questions on mangrove LEK generally deal with a single aspect of ecological knowledge of surveyed people and is mixed with other information such as harvesting practices, anthropogenic impacts, and management issues. The aim of our study is to better understand the level of ecological knowledge of surveyed inhabitants of Mayotte and to assess whether factors linked to the profile of respondents have an influence on it. For this purpose, we carried out two main survey campaigns in three villages fringing two stable mangroves of Mayotte: the first one consisted of qualitative interviews and the second one, questionnaires lending quantitative results. Cross tabulations and Chi square tests of independence were carried out to determine the link between LEK and influencing factors. Results show that some LEK implying localized observation, such as the identification of mangrove trees and the knowledge of the coastal protection role of the mangrove, are well shared by surveyed people whereas others, such as the number and the name of mangrove tree species, are poorly known. The results also highlight the difficulty of questions implying observation at the landscape level and interpretation of observation. All the influencing factors selected have a significant influence on, at least, one LEK variable. The results highlight differences in LEK of villages bordering two nearby mangroves calling for a local management of these systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue (Towards) Sustainable Mangrove Socioecological Systems)
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17 pages, 32195 KiB  
Article
Non-Timber Forest Product Livelihood-Focused Interventions in Support of Mangrove Restoration: A Call to Action
by Adolphe O. Debrot, Ab Veldhuizen, Sander W. K. van den Burg, Charlotte J. Klapwijk, Md. Nazrul Islam, Md. Iftakharul Alam, Md. Nazmul Ahsan, Moin U. Ahmed, Selim R. Hasan, Ratnawaty Fadilah, Yus R. Noor, Rudhi Pribadi, Sri Rejeki, Ekaningrum Damastuti, Esther Koopmanschap, Stijn Reinhard, Catharien Terwisscha van Scheltinga, Charlotte Verburg and Marnix Poelman
Forests 2020, 11(11), 1224; https://doi.org/10.3390/f11111224 - 20 Nov 2020
Cited by 22 | Viewed by 7350
Abstract
Mangroves of tropical and subtropical shores and deltas contribute to ecosystem functioning and human wellbeing in numerous ways but continue to be lost or degraded worldwide at a rapid pace. Overexploitation driven by poverty is often the root cause of mangrove destruction and [...] Read more.
Mangroves of tropical and subtropical shores and deltas contribute to ecosystem functioning and human wellbeing in numerous ways but continue to be lost or degraded worldwide at a rapid pace. Overexploitation driven by poverty is often the root cause of mangrove destruction and degradation. The negative feedback cycle between destruction and poverty can only be broken by justly valuing current or introducing new sustainable livelihood options to foster long-lasting local support for mangroves. The large array of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) that mangroves offer have rarely been developed beyond the subsistence level and remain undervalued as “products of the poor”. In light of the global trends towards sustainability and bio-economy, today they represent a major business opportunity for forest communities to produce high value-added end-user products. Even though mangrove NTFPs have been recognized to have high potential toward inclusive development and poverty alleviation and to be highly gender-equal, the development of mangrove NTFPs has continued to attract very little funding or research interest. Several ecological characteristics make commercialization of mangrove NTFPs particularly challenging. Production at economies of scale, including quality standards, as well as marketing and value chain management are all essential in order to develop these products beyond their subsistence role. To be most effective, a systems perspective on NTFP development is needed, whereby product-market development occurs in unison and based on a participative, inclusive and fair development approach. The species/product of choice for value-added product-market development in any specific community or area will depend on several factors. To address many of the typical constraints and maximize the chances of success, we suggest that the use of village or district-level cooperatives may be particularly useful. A better use of the untapped potential of mangroves for local livelihoods may form a most convincing advocate for local protection and restoration of mangrove forests. Therefore, funding agencies, governments and researchers alike are called to invest in mangrove NTFP development as a way to locally incentivize sustainable mangrove protection and restoration. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue (Towards) Sustainable Mangrove Socioecological Systems)
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