BIODIVERSIDAD COMO INDICADOR DE SOSTENIBILIDAD PARA LA GESTIÓN AMBIENTAL ENFOCADA AL TURISMO, MANABÍ, ECUADOR:

In the Manabi area, the growing agricultural and livestock development is one of the main causes for which a large part of the native forests disappeared. The objective of the work was to analyze biodiversity as part of the sustainability indicators for environmental management focused on tourism. Workshops, surveys and ethnobiological interviews were held in 58 communities, belonging to 18 parishes in the cantons of May 24, Jipijapa, Manta, Pajan, Puerto Lopez, Rocafuerte, San Vicente and Santa Ana in the province of Manabi. A floristic inventory of 246 species that are of interest to tourism was obtained. The families with the highest number of species are Fabaceae (46 species), Malvaceae (15) and Asteraceae (10). The species with less frequency of mention were Verbesina minuticeps, Brassia jipijapensis and Oncidium estradae, with few isolated individuals in the area. 245 species of fauna were identified, including 149 birds and 61 lepidoptera. The mammals Tremarctos ornatus, Tapirus spp. and Panthera onca, are in danger of extinction and are scarce in the areas. In total, 15 indicators are proposed, some such as forest area and protected area, are common to all processes related to international criteria. The number of species may increase in the future with the deepening of studies on the state of biodiversity at the local level.