Mangrove Forest Ecosystem Utilization And Depletion: Implication For Occupational Changes In Calabar South, Nigeria

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine thevarious ways in which mangrove forestecosystem is being utilized and depleted andthe implications for occupational changes inthe area. Five communities based on observation that are actively involved in the mangroveexploitation were sampled for the study. Using the Yaro Yamen (1980) formula, the samplesize of 400 was determined.Based on this, 400 copies ofquestionnaires whose contentbothers on utilization of mangrove, incomegenerated and occupation of the sampledcommunities was developed and administered. In order to determine the mangroveecosystem depletion rate, the change intensityindex was used. A multi-temporal image dataof the mangrove vegetation covering areasovertime was acquiredand processed. Thisinclude a Topo sheet derived from an aerial photo of1970, land imagery 1970-2011 in aGIS environment (Arc GIS 9.3).