Mangrove Forest Characterization in Southeast Côte d’Ivoire

Abstract

Mangrove ecosystems are faced with far more existential threats of erosion than their terrestrial counterparts. Consequences of their degradation vary from decline in edible aquatic stocks, coastal erosion and aquatic weeds invasion. Mangrove forest dynamics was assessed from multi-tem- poral analyses of remotely sensed satellite images (mosaics of 1989/90 and 2014/15) within 233,900 hectares. Ground-truthing was accompanied by field measurements in selected forest stands to characterize structure, estimate biomass and carbon pools. With conservation as overriding goal, a socio-economic survey was conducted to underpin the factors influencing mangrove forests over-exploitation and qualitatively assess the sensitivity of the locals to resources decline. The region recorded fifty percent loss of mangrove area during the 25-year period. Low leaf area index (1.02 - 2.52 m2∙m−2) confirms canopy openness. Above-ground root biomass (kg per root) ranged between 110.67 and 382.64...