Mangroves are the important vegetation found in coastal areas and beneficial not only sea flora and fauna but to the people living nearby mangroves. Therefore, it is essential to provide quantitative estimates for conservation and protection of precious mangroves have long term benefits by providing policy decisions for the society.
with the comparison of a coastal areas with mangroves and a coastal areas without mangroves in terms of property damage and loss of life by natural disaster on both areas.
carbon sequestration, tourism potential, can be used for mitigation banking/offsets, etc
Mangroves are estuarine flora only and all coastal areas are not supported the growth of the mangroves. Fluctuation in salinity, organic matter and temperature play important role for the development of these beautiful ecosystems. In the recent years quantitative studies help to assess the mangrove ecosystems and to know the status of the mangrove populations in any particular region. Based on that data one can follow the conservation methods such as raising the nurseries and transplation as well as plantng the viviparous fruits collected form the plants. Thank you
As commented already by a fellow researcher, mangroves are dynamic estuarine formations. Consequently, mangroves are effected by the amount of river water and their sediment or nutrient load. Upstream dams trap sediments and change the water flow in the estuary. The effect of such dynamics on local goods obtained from mangrove can be assessed by field observation and interview of mangrove users. Direct users include fish trappers (Kosi Bay) and firewood harvesters (Tanzania). The fish trap owner I recently interviewed in Kosi Bay was concerned about the expansion of mangrove over the communal fishing ground. Here, the fishermen and women bear the cost of mangrove expansion. Where are the benefits and beneficiaries? That is the missing issue in all comments so far, but the key to any policy and management intervention.
In tropical Asia and South America mangrove is replaced on some scale by shrimp ponds (aquaculture; mariculture). In addition to removal, the remaining mangrove adjacent to the ponds may be impacted by effluents from these ponds (see my publications).
As for carbon sequestration, I wonder whether carbon credits have been allocated for mangrove anywhere. And if so, to whom.
There is also a useful case study on services from mangrove ecosystems included in the Millenium Ecosystem Assessment.
The following links could be of reference materials for you. I found them very helpful:
http://cmsdata.iucn.org/downloads/thailand_socioeconomic_value_report.pdf
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X12001847
http://www.unep.org/ecosystemmanagement/Portals/7/Documents/WP08_Valuation%20of%20Coastal%20ES_UNEP.pdf
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212041612000046
https://nicholasinstitute.duke.edu/sites/default/files/publications/ni_wp_14-06.pdf
Another option is to use both Bio-Economic modelling and Choice modelling to put a price on the social ecological services of such eco-systems. These models compute Net Benefits based on the functionality of the eco-system in terms of being a source of resources for different people, indirect services and so-on.
I don't know much about mangroves, but i know these have been used to quantify the eco-service value lost in case of invasions.I believe if these are used right they can be able to help you asses the social ecological service value of mangroves.
Thank you very much if you have any case study kindly forward to me.
regards
This is not specific to your case but may interest you
http://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1014&context=iss_pub
also http://www.esajournals.org/doi/full/10.1890/080025
Subhash - Take a look at the papers by Barbier et al 2012 on marine ecosystem services. Since storn damage protection and buffering shorelines from erosion are probably the most important ecosystem services of mangroves you could quantify wave attentuation and and wave force with mangroves and where mangroves have been removed. Wave force could be measured with chalk blocks and wave dynometers. See Brisson et al 2014 for methods. Mark
Here is a study we published as a book chapter which may be of interest to you.