QUANTIFYING THE THREATS: A REVIEW OF MANGROVE VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT

Abstract

Mangrove ecosystems are vital to preserve as they provide various crucial benefits and services not only to humans but also to other ecosystems and life. Yet, their distribution globally has been declining due to factors within nature itself and from humans. This establishes conservation awareness among researchers by assessing the vulnerability of mangroves and provides a clear picture for management and governance of the vulnerability status of the area. For such purposes, various vulnerability assessments have been developed but the degree of robustness of this assessment is not well assessed. Therefore, this review covers the development of mangrove vulnerability assessment methods along with the parameters incorporated for the assessment based on 20 years of research articles. The study found that remote sensing and Geographic Information System (GIS) methods have gained prominence among researchers due to their accessibility to pertinent data. The evolving landscape of vulnerability assessment has witnessed the emergence of diverse methodologies, including multidisciplinary studies that enhance the comprehensiveness of the evaluations. Despite progress, there's still a significant gap in creating consistent ways to assess mangrove vulnerability. This review highlights the necessity for future studies to fill these gaps by establishing standards and parameters to evaluate mangrove ecosystem vulnerability more thoroughly. Ultimately, this determined effort will significantly contribute to these critical ecosystems' conservation and sustainable management, ensuring their continued resilience in the face of escalating threats.