Ecological Restoration Laguna de Términos

Reforestation in the mangrove ecosystem north of the Laguna de Términos. Campeche

With the purpose of establishing ecological restoration measures in degraded mangrove forests, and recovering vegetation cover and ecosystem services on an island of 104.5 ha immersed in the Laguna de Términos Flora and Fauna Protection Area; the LHCEM with funding from the CFE; implemented a mangrove restoration program starting in 2004. These with a comprehensive strategy which is based on hydrological rehabilitation, the production of Avicennia germinans seedlings(L.) under nursery conditions; as well as in reforestation. It is important to indicate that the monitoring and evaluation of the developed actions were validated through the survival and growth of the seedlings; as well as in the establishment of the physiognomic type and the recovery of organic matter production, similar to the reference forest (Fig. 1).

Fig. 1. Hydrological rehabilitation on an island of 104.5 ha with dead mangroves north of the Terminos lagoon, Campeche (2004 without channels, 2007 with channels and 2011 with canals and reforestation).

The physiognomy of the dead mangrove forest and that of the reference forest was determined by the quadrant method, described by Moreno-Casasola and López-Rosas (2009). In turn, for each quadrant, the physicochemical parameters of the interstitial water were recorded: salinity, redox potential, temperature and the nutrients of the interstitial water; in six points, monthly, for seven years (Fig. 2).

Fig. 2. Monitoring of the restoration site.

For the production of seedlings, a rustic nursery with a capacity for 180,000 seedlings was built. The propagules were developed in polyethylene trays, in a substrate with biorational products. From the fourth month, the seedlings were taken to the field to be planted in the plots hydrologically rehabilitated, at a distance of 1.5 m between seedlings (Fig. 3).

A main channel of 2 m wide x 1.5 m deep x 1 000 m long was built (main channel), connecting with 15 secondary channels every 60 m, with dimensions of 1 m wide and 1 m deep. The secondary channels were connected to the main channel and internal lagoons present on the island (Fig. 4).

The evaluation of the restoration program was carried out by verifying the operation and the autonomy of the constructed channels, of measuring the optimum growth of the seedlings in the plots through the physicochemical parameters of the interstitial water, the operation and the autonomy of the artificial channels. And significant differences were established between the chemical conditions of the interstitial water, between 2005 and 2006; and, with respect to the reference forest (Fig. 5).