REGION: Nicaragua
NAME OF THE ASSESSMENT: Hurricanes and mangrove regeneration: Effects of
hurricane Joan, October 1988, on the vegetation of Island Venado, Bluefields, Nicaragua.
1 What organization carried out the assessment?
Graduate School of Geography, Clark University, Worcester, Massachusetts
2 Was the assessment a result of an initiative by the body carrying it out? If not,
what body took the initiative that resulted in the assessment?
Yes
ORIENTATION
3 What is the context and purpose of the assessment?
Before the storm, stand structure was typical of mangrove forests throughout the region,
but poorly developed compared to upland forests in the same life zone, as expressed in a
composite index of tree height, basal area, stem density, and species diversity.
4 Were there explicit objectives for the assessment? If so, what are they?
Characterize the vegetation structure and composition for both pre- and post hurricane
vegetation.
5 What is the relation of the assessment to the cycle of determining the problems,
adopting measures and evaluating progress?
Based on sampling of a hurricane-damaged Caribbean mangrove forest, stand structure
and composition are characterized for both pre- and post hurricane vegetation.
COVERAGE AND SOURCES
6 What area does the assessment cover?
Nicaragua
7 What were the reasons for selecting the area covered?
Because before the storm, stand structure was typical of mangrove forests throughout the
region, but poorly developed compared to upland forests in the same life zone, as
expressed in a composite index of tree height, basal area, stem density, and species
diversity
8 What period of time does the assessment cover?
1988-1991
9 How often will assessments of this kind be produced?
(-)
10 What aspects of the marine ecosystem are covered by the assessment?
Woody vegetation and physical conditions in this area
11 What aspects of human activities and pressures that impact on the marine
environment are covered by the assessment?
(-)
12 On what information is the assessment based?
Reports of the ecological effects of hurricanes mention damage to mangrove vegetation
13 Where environmental, economic or social data were used, what arrangements
were made for subsequent access to this data by the public or by experts?
Island Venado was chosen as a study site because of its location directly in the path of the
hurricane as well as the appearance of rather uniform physical conditions along its length.
Originating from randomly located points on the island's west shore, the sampling strips
were oriented due magnetic east to detect possible topographic zonation in the vegetation.
14 Where environmental, economic or social data were used, are metadata available
on these data series?
Yes
PROCESS
15 How did the assessment control is the quality of the data used in it?
Woody vegetation was sampled along three strip transects crossing the damaged
mangrove fringe on Island Venado. Originating from randomly located points on the
island's west shore, the sampling strips were oriented due magnetic east to detect possible
topographic zonation in the vegetation. Strip transects measured 5 m x 100 m, or 0.05 ha
each. All woody vegetation rooted within these areas was recorded, in 2 categories. For
individuals ≥ 2.5 cm DBH (bole diameter at breast height, or 1.3 m above ground level),
record was made of distance along the transect (dm), species, DBH (cm) measured with
diameter tape, approximate height (ocular estimate to nearest meter by experienced
forester), condition of main stem (broken vs not), and recovery class (well refoliated vs
poorly refoliated vs dead). For smaller individuals only position (as above), species, height
(to nearest half-meter), and origin (sprout vs seedling) were noted. Patches of Acrostichum
fern and accumulations of dead wood were also recorded
16 Were models of aspects of the marine environment developed and used in the
assessment?
No
17 Did the assessment use any form of indicators?
Before the storm, stand structure was typical of mangrove forests throughout the region,
but poorly developed compared to upland forests in the same life zone, as expressed in a
composite index of tree height, basal area, stem density, and species diversity
18 If the assessment was based (wholly or partly) on traditional knowledge, what
practices were used to control its quality?
Reviewed the information existing in the scientific literature on the subject, previous papers
19 If the assessment was based (wholly or partly) on expert opinion, what practices
were used to control its quality?
No
20 Was any particular conceptual framework used to organize the assessment?
Yes
21 How were decisions made on which scientific specialisms should be involved,
and how these scientific specialisms should be brought in?
Natural resources, biology, meteorological sciences
22 How was interaction organized during the assessment process between
scientific, economic and social disciplines and policy makers?
(-)
23 How were non-official stakeholders enabled to participate in the assessment?
(-)
24 Did differences of opinion arise over the conclusions of the assessment? If so,
how were these resolved?
No
25 Was there a peer review of the assessment during the assessment process,
and/or before the final text was published?
No
26 Were any specific arrangements made to link the assessment with other
contemporary international or national processes?
(-)
27 Were specific efforts made to strengthen institutional, scientific or technical
capacity for the assessment?
Yes, existed efforts made to strengthen scientific capacity for the assessment.
COMMUNICATIONS
28 In what form was the output of the assessment presented?
The assessment was presented in scientific article
29 In which languages is the assessment available?
The assessment is available in English
30 How were the results of the assessment made public?
The results of the assessment was presented in scientific article
CONTENT ON FUTURE ACTIONS
31 Did the assessment rank the severity of problems or otherwise identify priorities
for future action?
Research on the community ecology and management of mangroves would undoubtedly
profit from the experience of local resource users, who in turn might benefit from
collaboration in testing and refining possible silvicultural treatments and monitoring erosion
hazards.
32 Did the assessment evaluate options for future policy, and their likely outcomes?
(-)
33 Did the assessment indicate gaps in the information needed for it?
Yes
34 Did the assessment indicate gaps in the scientific understanding of the relevant
processes that need to be addressed in order to improve the assessment?
Yes
REVIEW
35 Was there a review of the assessment process in order to draw lessons for future
assessments?
The west coast of Island Venado is presently an enormous light gap of a sort which these
mangroves appear well adapted to decolonize, and the development of its stands will
provide a continuing demonstration of their post disturbance successional processes.
EXPERT EVALUATION
36 Is the published assessment easy to understand and accessible ton on-specialist
readers?
Yes
37 To what extent does the assessment give confidence that it provides sound
conclusions that apply to the whole of the area covered?
The west coast of Island Venado is presently an enormous light gap of a sort which these
mangroves appear well adapted to recolonize, and the development of its stands will
provide a continuing demonstration of their post disturbance successional processes.
38 Does the assessment appear to have been timely in relation to policy
development and the adoption of measures?
Yes
39 Are there any particular strengths or weaknesses in the assessment that are
relevant to the Assessment of Assessments?
The assessment is strengths
40 Does the assessment appear to have been influential in policy making and the
adoption of measures?
(-)