Vulnerabilidad de los servicios ecosistémicos del área marina protegida Uramba

Abstract

Systems of Uramba Marine Protected Area (MPA), like marine and coastal systems worldwide, sustain a great variety of ecosystem services (ES) (i.e. coastal protection, climate regulation, or food provision, etc.). Anthropogenic and natural stressors (i.e. coastal erosion, sea level rise, or overfishing, etc.) can transform, degrade, or limit the supply of ecosystem services. This study explores the vulnerability of Uramba MPA ecosystem services to anthropogenic and natural stressors. Stressors and ecosystems services were characterized by a literature review, an expert’s workshop, fieldtrips for validation, and georeferencing. To calculate the vulnerability of ecosystem services, the magnitude of each stressor, their risks, and their resilience capacity was estimated. Natural and anthropogenicstressors are more frequent at the outer region of Uramba MPA, in Ladrilleros, Juanchaco, and Base Naval. Sea level rise is the main stressor that potentially will affect Uramba MPA ecosystems services, including the following: coastal protection in sandy beaches, mud flats, and mangroves; climate regulation in sandy beaches and mud flats; recreation and tourism in sandy beaches and mangroves; life cycle maintenance in mangroves, and food provision in mud flats. Ecosystems services in rocky coasts are threatened by landslides, andin pelagic systems by overfishing.