Development of mangrove healthy condition (MHC) index based on their symbiotic organisms

The information of mangrove health condition are useful to help design the mangrove conservation and mitigation measure in disturbed areas. In this work we use three parameters to illustrate the mangrove health condition MHC) index. This index is not the same as any other index that has been established, because the index is based on the biotic factor only. The criteria of our index would be indicative even in the situation when the mangrove is intensively attacked but still maintain the high diversity of endophytic organisms. Seven mangrove and their associates from 3 locations in 3different districts were observed including: Rhizopora apiculate, R. mucronate, R. stylosa, Avicennia marina, Excoecaria agallocha, Seriop desendra, and Bruguiera silindris. The result showed that the MHC index varied among sampling points. Nguling showed the widest range of the index (2.5 - 10.75), followed by Tongas with the index range between 0 -8.25, and PantaiKutan, asthe most homogeneous, with index ranging between 4.25 and 10. The distribution of index values, not congregate on one particular mangrove and its associates, indicating that the index was independent in regard to the mangrove taxa. Therefore, this formula could be used to show the mangrove and its associate the health condition. We also found that the values of MHC index were independent from the soil type where the mangrove thrived.