Socio-cultural analysis of ecosystem services provided by mangroves in La Encrucijada Biosphere Reserve, southeastern Mexico

Mangroves are characteristic ecosystems of the coastal zones of the tropics and subtropics of the world and are considered of great importance, both for global biodiversity and for the livelihoods of local communities due to their provision of important ecosystem services (ES). Although their ecological and social importance is recognised, they are currently under heavy anthropogenic pressure that leads to their progressive degradation and, consequently, a reduced provision of ES. Socio-cultural valuation of ES is increasingly recognised as an approach that can provide important information regarding the perceptions of the communities that can be incorporated into future conservation strategies. In this sense, the objective of the present study was to identify the main ES provided by the mangroves in four communities of La Encrucijada Biosphere Reserve (REBIEN, by its Spanish acronym). Using semi-structured interviews and questionnaires we capture the perception regarding the importance of mangroves ecosystem services. Overall, the most highly valued ecosystem services were protection against meteorological phenomena, fishery and climate regulation. The main factors of mangrove degradation perceived were deforestation, channeling of rivers and pollution, which affect local well-being, mainly in their economic income and food security. We argue that the information generated could be useful for decision makers to design policies that can contribute to guarantee the access of communities to environmental resources as well as the preservation of sustainable livelihoods.