Throughout the Caribbean region, coastal areas are of vital importance for national incomes from the tourism industry. However, accelerated coastal development has impacted the coastal ecosystems, including the beaches, and deterioration of the shore results from cumulative impacts on both marine and coastal ecosystems. It is essential to identify the areas that need special attention for targeted management plans and actions, especially in areas with high anthropogenic pressure. This research proposes an integrated assessment of the conservation state of shore and coastal ecosystems in the Puerto Morelos National Reef Park (PNAPM) in the Mexican Caribbean, through the spatial monitoring of key parameters. A Geographic Information System (GIS) was employed to analyze the land use on the shore, foredune condition, morphological characteristics of the beaches, shoreline evolution, and the condition of coral reefs and seagrass meadows. The analysis identified the most critical areas in relation to shore deterioration and priority areas for the preservation of ecosystems. The spatial data obtained for the PNAPM can serve as a basis for ongoing shore monitoring, and targeted management actions through the designation of areas that require either preservation or ecosystem restoration practices. This methodology can be applied to other reef systems in the Caribbean.

The Mexican Caribbean is a high-risk coastal area. It faces numerous natural and anthropogenic hazards due to its unique ecosystem worldwide and significant economic pressure in the region. The area, which have a high population density in cities like Cancún, Playa del Carmen and Tulum, have been affected by accelerated changes altering its natural dynamics (Silva et al, 2019). These alterations have led to the instability and degradation of the coastal ecosystems (Silva et al, 2019), resulting in the reduction of protection services provided by coral reefs and coastal vegetation against hurricanes, a phenomenon widely demonstrated (Odériz et al, 2020). This study performed a spatial vulnerability analysis of the Mexican Caribbean coast by analyzing vulnerability indicators based on geomorphological (sediment and beach characteristics) and biological (foredune, seagrass, and coral reef cover) factors. Based on the spatial analysis, the areas of higher vulnerability in the region were identified. Once these vulnerable areas are identified, it is possible to identify adaptation and mitigation strategies to mitigate climate risk.