Caracterización de las especies de mangle con fines de conservación de la parroquia Cojimíes.

Abstract

This research was conducted in the Cojimíes Estuary, located in the Pedernales canton, with the aim of characterizing the mangrove species present in the area, evaluating their diversity and distribution, and analyzing the environmental conditions that influence their development. Five representative plots were selected, in which different mangrove species were identified, such as Avicennia germinans (black mangrove), Rhizophora mangle (red mangrove), and Pelliciera rhizophorae (piñuelo mangrove). Various environmental parameters were analyzed, such as temperature (ranging from 25.9°C to 27.3°C), salinity (between 1.002 ppt and 1.023 ppt), pH (with values between 6.8 and 8.4), and total dissolved solids (TDS), which ranged from 11.5 ppm to 332 ppm. Additionally, soil nutrients were evaluated, such as nitrogen (12 ppm in black mangrove), phosphorus (ranging from 1.33 to 2.16 ppm), potassium (1.33 to 2.16 ppm), calcium (6 to 13 ppm), and magnesium (7 to 18 ppm). The results showed that the mangrove community in the Cojimíes Estqwwquary has low biological diversity, with Avicennia germinans and Pelliciera rhizophorae being the predominant species, with a density of up to 18 individuals per 100 m² in some plots. The Shannon-Wiener and Simpson diversity indices indicated an ecological community dominated by a few species, with values of 0.00 and 1.00, respectively. Water quality parameters were generally suitable for mangrove development, although variability in TDS levels suggests a possible influence of human activities, such as aquaculture.