Unpacking Changes in Mangrove Social-Ecological Systems: Lessons from Brazil, Zanzibar, and Vietnam

Abstract

Abstract:Mangroves provide multiple benefits, from carbon storage and shoreline protection to food and energy for natural resource-dependent coastal communities. However, they are coming under increasing pressure from climate change, coastal development, and aquaculture. There is increasing need to better understand the changes mangroves face and whether these changes differ or are similar in different parts of the world. Using a multiple case study approach, focused on Vietnam, Zanzibar, and Brazil, this research analyzed the drivers, pressures, states, impacts, and responses (DPSIR) of mangrove systems. A qualitative content analysis was used on a purposively sampled document set for each country to identify and collate evidence under each of the DPSIR categories. Population growth and changing political and economic processes were key drivers across the three countries, leading to land use change and declining states of mangroves. This had an impact on the delivery of regulatory and provisioning ecosystem services from mangroves and on the welfare of coastal communities. Responses have been predominantly regulatory and aim to improve mangrove states, but without always considering ecosystem services or the consequences for welfare. The issue of scale emerged as a critical factor with drivers, pressures, impacts, and responses operating at different levels (from international to local), with consequences for response effectiveness.

Socioeconomic Determinants of Mangrove Exploitation and Seagrass Degradation in Zanzibar: Implications for Sustainable Development

“…Good example is tremendous increase in demand for building poles, wood fuel, fish trap, and charcoal making (Figures 2(a), 2(b), and 2(c)) which specifically comes from mangroves [39]. Quinn et al [37], Hussain [40], and Semesi [41] reported similar situations in three countries: Brazil, Vietnam, and Zanzibar. The findings also reveal that the increase in human activities, for example, bivalve collection, bait collection, and seaweed farming, at Kibele and Charawe village, with average percent of 55, 65, and 48 (Table 1)…”

“…Mangrove resources extracted were used for charcoal making, boat making, building poles, and fuel wood [45]. Quinn et al [37] reported similar findings in Brazil and Vietnam, whereas the resources extracted from seagrass included bivalve and bait collection [19,43] and seaweed [22,42] through seaweed farming and fish by using fishnets and traps. The resources obtained from both mangrove forest and seagrass meadows were collected by economically active ages ranging from 26 to 50 years old.…”

“…Qualitative content analysis was employed to determine the interrelationship between coastal resources and community activities (social-ecological system). This approach helps us to identify drivers for exploitation, exploitation pressure, coastal resource status, impact, and response to exploitation [36,37]. Three focus group discussions (local mangrove management committee, local fisheries management committee, and coastal/marine resource users, e.g., bait collectors, seaweed farmers, and gleaners) were conducted in each study site.…”

Adição de resíduos de caranguejo-uçá, Ucides cordatus (Linnaeus, 1763) em concreto para pré-moldados: sustentabilidade para os atores da cadeia produtiva na costa norte da Amazônia brasileira

“…Os manguezais brasileiros têm grande importância socioeconômica e, historicamente, esses ecossistemas tem sido explorados como fonte de extração de recursos naturais para a subsistência das populações tradicionais (Quinn et al 2017). Na região norte do Brasil, especialmente no estado do Pará, citando a região Bragantina, a prática de captura do caranguejo-uçá (Ucides cordatus) compõe uma das principais fontes de alimento e renda para muitas comunidades litorâneas (Partelow et al 2018).…”

The role of local and Indigenous knowledge in ecosystem-based management and adaptation: A case study of iTaukei communities in Bua Province, Vanua Levu Island, Fiji

“…It was found that income diversity in the village was reduced by shoreline erosion, which in turn rendered livelihoods of affected communities to be even more vulnerable. In a comparative study on mangrove socio-ecological systems, it was found that population growth and changing political and economic processes were key drivers of declining states of mangroves, compromising the livelihoods of coastal communities across Brazil, Vietnam and Zanzibar (Quinn et al, 2017). Within this framework, the external drivers are factors outside of a given community which have the power to influence localised changes.…”