Conservation Index for lentic ecosystems for an urban coastal wetland in south-central Chile - Rocuant Andalien

Abstract. Wetlands are ecosystems of great importance worldwide. Global change puts pressure on these ecosystems, contributing to their degradation. Population growth and urban development are among the main problems affecting wetlands located in these areas. Therefore, this manuscript focuses on measuring the conservation status of the Rocuant-Andalíen wetland, located in the coastal region of Biobío, in the country's second largest urban center. This multifactorial approach offers a systematic and holistic evaluation to identify environmental impacts. The study area is one of the largest coastal wetlands in south-central Chile and has undergone various anthropogenic interventions over time. The Index of Conservation Status of Shallow Lentic Ecosystems was applied to establish the conservation status/priorities of the wetlands within the study area. The Index of Conservation Status of Shallow Lentic Ecosystems (ECELS), proposed by the Catalan Water Agency (2004) has been applied in Chile in previous studies. This is an environmental characterization based on hydrological, ecological, environmental, tourist, and landscape documents and reports that were analyzed to determine legal gaps. A total of 12,987 km², the largest areas are classified as low quality (3,705 km²) or very poor quality (4,611 km²) wetlands. This result can be explained by successive human interventions over the years, as well as surface reduction. In futures perspectives environmental recovery, this index can be used as an indicator of priority macro areas.