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Applying Fuzzy Logic to Assess Human Perception in Relation to Conservation Plan Efficiency Measures Within a Biosphere Reserve

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Abstract

The objective of this study is to present an efficiency-perception impact assessment based upon the integration of fuzzy logic (FL) of the “Productive Reconversion” conservation program (PRP) instituted by the Mexican government, in the upper Gulf of California and the Colorado Delta Biosphere Reserve. This approach enables environmental analysts to deal with the intrinsic imprecision and ambiguity associated with people’s judgments and conclusions. The application of FL to the assessment of program efficiency is illustrated in this work, demonstrating how subjective perceptions can be converted into quantitative values easy to evaluate during the decision-making process.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Instituto Politécnico Nacional (SIP 20080127, SIP 20090442), Consejo Estatal de Ciencia y Tecnología del Estado de Sinaloa (CECyT-SIN 2009), and Fondos Mixtos de Fomento a la Investigación Científica y Tecnológica (CONACyT, FOMIX-SIN-2008-C01-99712) for financial support. Special thank goes to the three anonymous reviewers for their brilliant comments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Paseo Claussen Centro, Mazatlan, SIN, 82000, Mexico

    Dulce M. Ruíz-López

  2. Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste, S.C., Mar Bermejo No. 195, Col. Playa Palo de Santa Rita Apdo. Postal 128, La Paz, BCS, 23090, Mexico

    Alberto E. Aragón-Noriega

  3. Instituto Politecnico Nacional, Bulevar Juan de Dios Bátiz Paredes #250, Guasave, SIN, 81101, Mexico

    Antonio Luna-Gonzalez & Hector A. Gonzalez-Ocampo

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  1. Dulce M. Ruíz-López
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  2. Alberto E. Aragón-Noriega
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  3. Antonio Luna-Gonzalez
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  4. Hector A. Gonzalez-Ocampo
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Correspondence to Hector A. Gonzalez-Ocampo.

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Ruíz-López, D.M., Aragón-Noriega, A.E., Luna-Gonzalez, A. et al. Applying Fuzzy Logic to Assess Human Perception in Relation to Conservation Plan Efficiency Measures Within a Biosphere Reserve. AMBIO 41, 467–478 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-012-0252-y

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