Understanding Anthropogenic Pressures in Island Ecosystems Through Ecological Vulnerability Indicators–An Overview

Islands are unique ecosystems that include terrestrial subecosystems and round waters composed of both natural and anthropogenic factors. These interactions could affect their ecological health, especially their vulnerability to natural and anthropogenic pressures, and their resilience. This study analyzes how ecological health is evaluated in coastal ecosystems, mainly islands, emphasizing the variables used to analyze ecosystem changes, resistance, and responses to anthropogenic impacts, pressures, and activities. Island ecosystems are rarely examined as a whole and are studied more by each type of coastal ecosystem (such as mangroves, coral reefs, seagrass, beaches, and dunes). The main criteria for determining ecological health in these ecosystems are exposure level, adaptive capacity, and sensitivity. This review should help improve the importance of island ecosystem vulnerability assessments related to anthropogenic-induced pressures for decision-making needs in disaster risk management and land planning management.