Habitat risk score of mangrove areas in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta calculated using the InVEST model, 2017

The data were gathered primarily from questionnaire-based interviews. For the map depicting the distribution of influencing factors, the information is stored in vector (.shp) format. The data collected and processed were used as inputs for the Habitat Risk Assessment (HRA) model. Interviews and surveys were conducted in the mangrove forest areas of Soc Trang, Ca Mau, and Kien Giang. Onsite surveys at accessible locations, such as erosion points and forest areas affected by drought and water scarcity were also carried out in Soc Trang.

The exposure and consequence criteria are rated on habitat resilience and stressors. Habitat resilience risk level includes (on a Likert scale) natural mortality, recruitment, connectivity and recovery time. Stressors include the frequency of disturbance, change in area rating, change in structure rating, temporal overlap rating, management effectiveness and intensity rating. Ratings (0-3) indicate the severity of each factor's impact, with 0 = none and 3 = high. These scores, combined with weights and data quality, feed into the exposure and consequence calculations that determine overall habitat risk. The criteria column is the backbone of the scoring system: it informs the model which ecological or management factors are being considered in the risk calculation. By adjusting ratings, data quality, and weights, the risk assessment can be adjusted to reflect local knowledge and priorities.