Monitoreo de la biodiversidad de mamíferos en áreas naturales protegidas

Volume 5, Issue 1
ISSN 2309-5237

Monitoreo de la biodiversidad de mamíferos en áreas naturales protegidas empleando cámaras-trampa: sugerencias de herramientas para la gestión y el análisis numérico de las fotos

SALVADOR MANDUJANO
Red de Biología y Conservación de Vertebrados,
Instituto de Ecología A.C., México
salvador.mandujano@inecol.mx

Resumen
El monitoreo de la biodiversidad de mamíferos y aves en áreas naturales protegidas requiere de metodologías de campo eficientes y de herramientas de almacenamiento de datos masivos para su posterior análisis estadístico. El empleo de cámaras trampa es un método que se ha popularizado en la última década. La ventaja principal de este método es obtener mucha información de muchas especies, en poco tiempo. Una vez obtenida la información de campo dos tareas fundamentales son la organización de miles de fotos que habitualmente se obtiene durante los monitoreos, y el análisis numérico de la misma para generar diferentes estimativos a nivel de la comunidad (composición número de especies, diversidad), de las poblaciones (ocupación, abundancia, densidad) y de los individuos (uso de hábitat, actividad, forrajeo).   Los objetivos de este artículo son:

1. comentar algunos de los recursos computacionales para la organización y extracción de la información de una gran cantidad de imágenes, y
2. comentar algunos programas y paquetes R útiles para el análisis numérico de la información.

Amphibian species and functional diversity as indicators of restoration success in tropical montane forest

ISSN: 0960-3115 (Print)
1572-9710 (Online)

Amphibian species and functional diversity
as indicators of restoration success in
tropical montane forest

Juan M. Díaz-García, Eduardo Pineda,
Fabiola López-Barrera & Claudia E. Moreno

Abstract
La restauración de los bosques tropicales se considera cada vez más una actividad que puede contrarrestar o reducir la pérdida de biodiversidad. Sin embargo, para evaluar el éxito de la restauración pocos estudios monitorean la fauna o consideran medidas de diversidad funcional. En este estudio evaluamos, utilizando a los anfibios como grupo modelo, el efecto de un programa de restauración de bosque de niebla sobre la diversidad de especies y la diversidad funcional. Comparamos ensambles de anfibios en tres tipos de uso de suelo: áreas en restauración, bosque de niebla (ecosistema de referencia) y pastizal para ganado (ecosistema degradado) en el sur de México. Comparado con el bosque de niebla, las áreas en restauración tuvieron condiciones ambientales similares, sin embargo, la riqueza de especies de anfibios fue similar en los tres tipos de uso de suelo y la abundancia fue menor en las áreas en restauración. En el bosque de niebla el ensamble de anfibios estuvo dominado por especies especialistas de bosques, en los pastizales por especies generalistas, mientras que en las áreas en restauración hubo una combinación de ambos tipos de especies. Curiosamente, la riqueza funcional, la equidad funcional y la divergencia funcional no variaron con el uso del suelo, aunque el número de grupos funcionales en las áreas en restauración y en el bosque de niebla fue ligeramente superior. En general, nuestros resultados sugieren que después de siete años, la restauración activa proporciona heterogeneidad de hábitat y vegetación leñosa capaces de mantener especies de anfibios y grupos funcionales similares a los que habitan en el bosque de niebla. Los fragmentos de bosque adyacentes a las áreas de restauración parecen facilitar la recolonización de la fauna, lo cual resalta la importancia de la conservación de los ecosistemas de referencia para lograr el éxito de la restauración.

Reseña de libro

Applied hierarchical modeling in Ecology:
Analysis of distribution, abundance and species richness in R and BUGS.

Autor: M. Kéry y J. A. Royle.
Editorial: Academic Press, London, UK.
Páginas: 783
ISBN: 978-0-12-801378-6

RESEÑA DE LIBRO por Salvador Mandujano
Sinopsis

El título de este libro consta de 4 partes y quiero empezarpor la segunda: «Analysis of distribution, abundance and species richness».

Se han escrito libros con títulos similares: The distribution and abundance of animals (Andrewartha y Birch,1964), Ecology: the experimental analysis of distribution and abundance (Krebs, 1978) y otros que en su contenido abordan este tema.

De hecho, una definición de ecología es el estudio de los factores que determinan la distribución y abundancia de las especies. Es decir, la ecología tiene que ver con el número de individuos o especies en una población o de una comunidad,respectivamente. Estos 3 parámetros, la abundancia, ocupación(distribución) y riqueza, frecuentemente son el tema centralde muchos trabajos de tesis, investigaciones científicas y conaplicación directa en la conservación y manejo de la vida sil-vestre. Además, se han escrito libros dedicados exclusivamentea la estimación de estos parámetros, por citar algunos: Dis-tance sampling: estimating abundance of biological populations(Buckland, Anderson, Burnham y Laake, 1993), Occupancyestimation and modeling: inferring patterns and dynamics of species occurrence (MacKenzie et al., 2006) y EstimateS: sta-tistical estimation of species richness and shared species from samples (Colwell, 2013).

First complete mitochondrial genomes of molossid bats

ISSN: 2380-2359

First complete mitochondrial genomes of molossid bats (Chiroptera: Molossidae)

Vanessa A. Mata, Francisco Amorim,
Antonio Guillén-Servent, Pedro Beja • Hugo Rebelo

Abstract

Bats represent around one-fourth of the world’s mammals and their taxonomy is still controversial. Molossids are one of the most diverse bat families with a wide knowledge gap. In this study, we report the first complete mitochondrial genomes of three molossid bats: the European free-tailed bat Tadarida teniotis, the La Touche’s free-tailed bat Tadarida latouchei, and the Wrinkle-lipped free-tailed bat Chaerephon plicatus. ... View full abstract

The mitogenomes are 16,869 and 16,784 bp long for T. teniotis and T. latouchei, respectively, while in C. plicatus it is at least 16,216 bp although the control region was not fully recovered due to its higher divergence from T. teniotis. The genomes show conserved synteny with other mammalian mitogenomes, containing 13 protein-coding genes, 2 ribosomal RNA genes, 22 transfer RNA genes, and 1 control region (d-loop). All protein-coding genes start with the ATG start codon, except for ND2, ND3, and ND5 which begin with ATA or ATT. Eleven protein-coding genes terminated in a canonical stop codon, TAA or TAG, two contain incomplete stop codons, T or TA. Cytochrome b terminates in the mitochondria-specific stop codon AGA. These mitogenomes provide a valuable resource for future studies of Molossidae and other bat and mammal species.

Species delimitation of the blue-spotted spiny lizard within a multilocus

Molecular Phylogenetics and
Evolution 111 (2017) 185–195

Species delimitation of the blue-spotted spiny lizard within a multilocus, multispecies coalescent framework, results in the recognition of a new Sceloporus species

Brenda Díaz-Cárdenas • Eduardo Ruiz-Sanchez
Patricia Castro-Felix • Gamaliel Castañeda-Gaytán
Sergio Ruiz-Santana • Héctor Gadsden

Abstract

Species delimitation is a major topic in systematics. Species delimitation methods based on molecular data have become more common since this approach provides insights about species identification via levels of gene flow, the degree of hybridization and phylogenetic relationships. Also, combining multilocus mitochondrial and nuclear DNA leads to more reliable conclusions about species limits. ... View full abstract

Coalescentbased species delimitation methods explicitly reveal separately evolving lineages using probabilistic approaches and testing the delimitation hypotheses for several species. Within a multispecies, multilocus, coalescent framework, we were able to clarify taxonomic uncertainties within S. cyanostictus, an endangered lizard that inhabits a narrow strip of the Chihuahuan Desert in Mexico. We included, for the first time in a phylogenetic analysis, lizards from the three populations of S. cyanostictus recognized so far (East Coahuila, West Coahuila and Nuevo León). Phylogenetic analysis corroborates the hypothesis of two separately evolving lineages, i.e. the East and West Coahuila populations, as proposed in a previous study. We also found a distant phylogenetic relationship between the lizards from Nuevo León and those of East and West Coahuila. Finally, based on the species delimitation results, we propose and describe a new species of Sceloporus: S. gadsdeni sp. nov.

Urbanización, Malaria y Aves

Entrevista al Dr. Diego Santiago, en la Universidad Nacional de Colombia

Urbanización,
Malaria y Aves

por: Diego Santiago Alarcón

El Dr. D. Santiago A, estudia la relación entre la transformación de los ecosistemas por parte del ser humano y la dinámica de transmisión de la malaria en diversas especies de aves.

Fecha de publicación: 27/02/2017.

Individual variation in the booming calls of captive Horned Guans (Oreophasis derbianus)

   Online ISSN: 2165-0586
    Print ISSN: 0952-4622

Individual variation in the booming calls of captive Horned Guans (Oreophasis derbianus): an endangered Neotropical mountain bird

Fernando González-García, J. Roberto Sosa-López, Juan Francisco Ornelas, Pedro Jordano, Victor Rico-Gray & Vicente Urios Moliner

Abstract
The Horned Guan (Oreophasis derbianus) is a cracid restricted to cloud forests in the Sierra Madre of Chiapas in Mexico and the westerncentral Mountains in Guatemala. It is an endangered species and urgent conservation measures are required, such as non-invasive monitoring techniques. Here, we study individual features in the boom calls of Horned Guans. ... View full abstract

Boom calls are acoustic signals used by males during courtship and territorial displays. This call is made of seven notes, divided into two parts: an introductory section characterized by low-amplitude notes and a body section characterized by highamplitude notes. We recorded 10 males during the breeding seasons of 2010 and 2011 in two captive populations and measured 22 acoustic variables of the calls. We used a combination of statistical analyses to test individuality in Horned Guan vocalizations. Our results showed that time-related variables – but not frequency-related traits – varied between individuals, and that individual calls showed no variation between years. Our results suggest that Horned Guan individuals can be distinguished using fine structural characteristics of their calls and that calls remain stable across years. We argue that such vocal signature could be used to track wild populations as a non-invasive technique in order to improve census data in the short and long term.

what is perceived as working?

Oryx, Volume 50, Issue 2
ISSN: 0030-6053 EISSN: 1365-3008

Safeguarding biodiversity: what is perceived as working, according to the conservation community?

COLIN A. CHAPMAN, ANNEKE DELUYCKER, RAFAEL A. REYNA-HURTADO, JUAN CARLOS SERIO-SILVA, THOMAS B. SMITH KAREN B. STRIER & TONY L. GOLDBERG

Abstract
Dramatic increases in human populations and per capita consumption, climate change, overexploitation of marine and freshwater resources, and deforestation have caused a litany of negative consequences for biodiversity. Such doom-and-gloom scenarios are widely known, frequently cited and frankly depressing. Although accurate assessments of threats have clear value for intervention planning, we believe there is also a need to reflect on successes. Such reflection provides balance to negative scenarios and may shift attention towards constructive, positive action. ... View full abstract

Here we use a systematic evaluation of 90 success stories provided by conservation scientists and practitioners to explore the characteristics of the projects perceived as being associated with success. Success was deemed to have occurred for 19.4% of the projects simply because an event had occurred (e.g. a law was passed) and for 36.1% of projects quantitative data indicated success (e.g. censuses demonstrated population increase). However, for most projects (63.9%) there was no evaluation and success was defined by the subjective opinion of the respondent. Conservation community members viewed successful projects most often as those being long-term (88%), small in spatial scale (52%), with a relatively low budget (68%), and involving a protectionist approach alone or in combination with another approach. These results highlight the subjectivity of definitions of success in conservation but also the characteristics of conservation efforts that the conservation community perceives as indicative of success.

Registro fotográfico Desmodus rotundus (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae) alimentándose de Odocoileus virginianus en Tehuacán-Cuicatlán, México

Primer registro fotográfico de murciélagos hematófagos Desmodus rotundus (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae) alimentándose de Odocoileus virginianus (Artiodactyla: Cervidae) en la Reserva de la Biosfera Tehuacán-Cuicatlán, México

ISSN 2382-3704
VOLUMEN 3(1):17-19
Mayo 2016

Eva López Tello-Mera  
Salvador Mandujano  

   Los murciélagos hematófagos se distribuyen en Latinoamérica, desde  México hasta el norte de Argentina (Greenhall et al. 1983, Greenhall et al. 1984, Greenhall & Schutt 1996). Estos murciélagos contribuyen a regular las poblaciones de fauna silvestre de las que se alimentan (González Christen 2003). Las especies Diphylla ecaudata y Diaemus youngi también contribuyen en el mantenimiento de la salud de las poblaciones ya que solo atacan individuos débiles o enfermos (Horváth 2010). De las tres especies (D. ecaudata, D. youngi y Desmodus rotundus) que se distribuyen en México, D. rotundus es la más común y la que se alimenta de diversas especies de mamíferos silvestres, así como de ungulados domésticos (Johnson et al. 2014). También se considera como una de las principales especies hospederas y transmisoras de la rabia (Correa-Scheffer et al. 2014).

Los estudios sobre vertebrados y su aplicacion en recomendaciones de manejo

ISBN: 978-607-424-558-5

Las Áreas Naturales Protegidas y la Investigación Científica en México

Capítulo XIII
Los estudios sobre vertebrados y su aplicación en recomendaciones de manejo

Sonia Gallina y Alberto González-Romero

Resumen

El capítulo trata sobre el papel de las Áreas Protegidas, sobre todo Reservas de la Biosfera, desde que fueron establecidas las primeras de Latinoamérica en México: "Mapimí", representando el Desierto Chihuahuense, y "La Michilía" representando los bosques templados secos de la Sierra Madre Occidental, como sitios idelaes para llevar a cabo investigaciones sobre las poblaciones faunísticas, comunidades y ecosistemas que generen información básica para el mejor entendimiento, uso y conservación de los recursos naturales. Como ejemplos, se tratan los estudios generados sobre los venados en México, que son considerados como el recurso cinegético más importante en el país, y muy utilizado por las comunidades indígenas como un recurso alimentario importante, cuyos resultados han servido para diseñar planes de manejo a través de las Unidades de Conservación y Manejo (UMA).

Otro ejemplo son los estudios ecológicos a largo plazo, sobre todo incluyendo las comunidades de roedores, lagomorfos y carnívoros, dentro del Programa LTER (Long Term Ecological Research), que se inicia en México en 1994 instalando los sitios de monitoreo en la Reserva de la Biósfera "Mapimí", Durango, y se formaliza como Mex-LTER en abril de 2002 junto con otros ocho sitios.

First phylogenetic analysis of Mesoamerican brocket deer Mazama pandora and Mazama temama (Cetartiodactyla: Cervidae) based on mitochondrial sequences: Implications for Neotropical deer evolution

Mammalian Biology 81 (2016) 303–313

First phylogenetic analysis of Mesoamerican brocket deer Mazama pandora and Mazama temama (Cetartiodactyla: Cervidae) based on mitochondrial sequences: Implications for Neotropical deer evolution

Luis A. Escobedo-Morales • Salvador Mandujano
Luis E. Eguiarte • Marco A. Rodríguez-Rodríguez
Jesús E. Maldonado

Abstract

Several recent studies have tried to unravel the complex evolutionary history of Neotropical cervids. However, the two Mesoamerican brocket deer Mazama pandora and M. temama have not been included in these studies and their relationship to other Neotropical cervids remains unclear. Here, we present analyses that included concatenated sequences from the mitochondrial genes ND2, Cytb, and tRNA-Pro-Control region.

Our results suggest that both Mesoamerican brocket deer fall within the “red” clade, more closely related to genus Odocoileus and red brocket deer species, such as South American Mazama americana, M. bororo, M. nana, and M. rufina.

We estimated that M. temama diverged from other red brocket deer ca. two MYA. Two hypothesis emerge regarding the relationship of the Yucatan brocket deer M. pandora with respect to the other Neotropical deer.

• The first one, based on analyses of concatenated sequences from all three genes, implies an early split from a larger clade that includes Odocoileus and other red Mazama species, with an estimated divergence time dating back to 2.7 MYA. This would suggest isolation on the Yucatan peninsula, limiting the crossing of this species into South America.
• The second one, based only on Cytb, places M. pandora more closely related to Odocoileus and with an estimated divergence time of ca. 1.9 MYA. This would suggest that the humid tropical forests of Mexico and Central America could have been the most likely place of origin of members of the red brocket deer clade.

Deer colonization into South America occurred after the complete formation of the Panamanian land bridge in the late Pliocene, more than one ancestor of the gray brocket deer clade crossed into South America, as well as a red brocket deer ancestor and Odocoileus dispersed southward. A posterior event probably occurred when divergent ancestors of M. temama and M. pandora respectively moved northward after the split with South American red brocket deer.

Our results add to the growing body of evidence calling for an extensive taxonomic revision of this group, and we concur with previous recommendations that the generic taxonomic designation of Mazama should be applied not only to the red brocket deer but also to all of the species currently recognized under the genus Odocoileus.

Abundancia relativa de la zorra gris Urocyon cinereoargenteus en la zona centro de Veracruz México

ISSN impreso: 0034-7744
ISSN electrónico: 2215-2075

Abundancia relativa de la zorra gris Urocyon cinereoargenteus (Carnívora: Canidae) en la zona centro de Veracruz, México

Sonia Gallina T. • Paloma López-Colunga
Carolina Valdespino • Verónica Farías

Abstract
Relative abundance of the gray fox Urocyon cinereoargenteus (Carnívora: Canidae) in Veracruz central area, Mexico. The gray fox, Urocyon cinereoargenteus, is a medium-size canid widely distributed in México. Most studies on this species focus on habitat use, home range, diet, intraguild competence, and lanscape distribution between urban and rural sites. In central Veracruz, gray foxes are present in fragments of cloud forest and in shaded coffee plantations; nevertheless, its abundance has not yet been compared among other vegetation types found in the area, such as sugarcane plantations. In this study we described gray foxes abundance variations using 500 m transects, among sugarcane plantations, shaded coffee plantations, and cloud forest fragments throughout eight months, by scat counting in three sites of each cover type. We reported the relative abundance index for each cover type and each month, and evaluated its relationship with four landscape features:

1. shade percent,
2. trail density,
3. human population density, and
4. habitat juxtaposition, in influence areas of 450 ha around sampling sites.

Abundance comparison among cover types showed lower abundances in cloud forest fragments and higher abundances in coffee and sugarcane plantations. No significant differences were found throughout months (p = 0.476). We proposed that higher abundances in plantations may be related to the presence of rodent plagues and fruit trees which offer food resources to gray foxes. The evaluation of landscape features showed that only medium-impact trail density and human population density were positively correlated with gray fox abundance; fact that demonstrates that this canid can coexist with humans in rural sites. We highlight the gray fox capacity to take advantage of heterogeneous landscapes.

Manual de técnicas del estudio de la fauna

ISBN: 978-607-7579-45-8

D.R. © Instituto de Ecología, A.C.
Carretera antigua a Coatepec No. 351,
El Haya, Xalapa 91070, Veracruz, México

CONTENIDO

1. Técnica de colecta, manejo y envío de muestras biológicas de fauna silvestre tropical
2. Técnicas de campo y laboratorio para el estudio de parásitos
3. Aplicaciones del análisis de isótopos estables para el manejo y conservación de fauna silvestre
4. Métodos estadísticos aplicados al estudio de vertebrados.
5. Evaluación de la diversidad de especies en ensamblajes de vertebrados: un primer acercamiento midiendo y comparando la riqueza de especies.
6. Análisis de viabilidad poblacional aplicado al manejo de fauna.
7. Técnicas para estimar la capacidad de carga para herbívoros.
8. Técnicas para el estudio de murciélagos.
9. Métodos de investigación social: fundamentos, técnicas y aportaciones para el entendimiento de las relaciones sociedad -vida silvestre-.

Editora: Sonia Gallina Tessaro

Classification of vegetation types in the habitat of white-tailed deer in a location of the Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve, Mexico

ISSN 1940-0829

June 2015 | Vol. 8 | Issue 2 | pages 284-597

Classification of vegetation types in the habitat of white-tailed deer in a location of the Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve, Mexico

Ariana Barrera-Salazar, Salvador Mandujano
Oscar A. Villarreal Espino-Barros & Daniel Jiménez-García

Abstract
This paper classifies the vegetation types that comprise the habitat of the white-tailed deer Odocoileus virginianus at a location within the Tehuacan-Cuicatlan Biosphere Reserve (TCBR) in Mexico.

The vegetation was sampled, identified, and mapped at 308 points distributed along 28 transects (each of 500 m in length). To determine the effect of the classified and mapped vegetation types on the white-tailed deer, we estimated population density using the PELLET procedure based on the pellet-group count method.

The principal vegetation types at the study site are tropical dry forest (TDF, 63% of the area) dominated by tetecho (Neobuxbaumia tetezo), uña de gato (Mimosa spp.) and mulato (Bursera spp.), and crassicaule scrub dominated by mantecoso (Parkinsonia praecox).

The TDF can be sub-classified into four spatially different clusters (vegetation types) depending on the dominance of these species. The white-tailed deer population density varied significantly depending on vegetation type. Our results contribute to the ecological knowledge of the white-tailed deer in tropical habitats and are of value for the implementation of effective conservation and management.

(contacta a los autores, pulsando sobre sus nombres)

Riqueza y abundancia relativa de mamíferos medianos y grandes en una localidad en la Reserva de la Biosfera Tehuacán-Cuicatlán, Oaxaca, México

THERYA, 2015, Vol. 6 (2): 435-448
DOI: 10.12933/therya-15-277, ISSN 2007-3364

Riqueza y abundancia relativa de mamíferos medianos y grandes en una localidad en la Reserva de la Biosfera Tehuacán-Cuicatlán, Oaxaca, México

Oscar Cruz-Jácome • Eva López-Tello •
Christian A. Delfín-Alfonso • Salvador Mandujano

Introduction: In Mexico, the state of Oaxaca is the second with higher mammalian richness. However, habitat loss and poaching have resulted in the decline and extinction of several species of flora and fauna. The present study focused on identifying the species richness and the relative abundance of medium and large mammals in the community of San Gabriel Casa Blanca, in the Biosphere Reserve Tehuacán-Cuicatlán. The work is important for the management and conservation of wildlife.
(contacta a los autores, pulsando sobre sus nombres)

Cascading impacts of anthropogenically driven habitat loss: deforestation, flooding, and possible lead poisoning in howler monkeys (Alouatta pigra)

ISSN: 0032-8332 (print version)
ISSN: 1610-7365 (electronic version)

Cascading impacts of anthropogenically driven habitat loss: deforestation, flooding, and possible lead poisoning in howler monkeys (Alouatta pigra)

Juan Carlos Serio-Silva •Eugenia J. Olguín •
Luis Garcia-Feria • Karla Tapia-Fierro •
Colin A. Chapman

Abstract
To construct informed conservation plans, researchers must go beyond understanding readily apparent threats such as habitat loss and bush-meat hunting. They must predict subtle and cascading effects of anthropogenic environmental modifications. This study considered a potential cascading effect of deforestation on the howler monkeys (Alouatta pigra) of Balancán, Mexico. Deforestation intensifies flooding. Thus, we predicted that increased flooding of the Usumacinta River, which creates large bodies of water that slowly evaporate, would produce increased lead content in the soils and plants, resulting in lead exposure in the howler monkeys. The average lead levels were 18.18 ± 6.76 ppm in the soils and 5.85 ± 4.37 ppm in the plants. However, the average lead content of the hair of 13 captured howler monkeys was 24.12 ± 5.84 ppm. The lead levels in the animals were correlated with 2 of 15 blood traits (lactate dehydrogenase and total bilirubin) previously documented to be associated with exposure to lead. Our research illustrates the urgent need to set reference values indicating when adverse impacts of high environmental lead levels occur, whether anthropogenic or natural, and the need to evaluate possible cascading effects of deforestation on primates.

Evaluation of fecal sex steroids in captive horned guan (Oreophasis derbianus, Aves: Cracidae)

Evaluación de esteroides sexuales fecales del pavón cornudo (Oreophasis derbianus, Aves: Cracidae) en cautiverio

Dr. Luis M. GARCÍA-FERIA,
Dra. Carolina VALDESPINO

Abstract
The measurement of sexual steroids over time allows evaluating the changes in reproductive function of individuals. We evaluate the profiles of fecal testosterone (T_f) and fecal estradiol (E_2f) of three males and four females of Oreophasis derbianus (Aves: Cracidae) in a breeding program. Sex steroids faecal samples were quantified by a chemoluminiscence immunoassay. There are not significant differences in the T_f concentrations between males (P = 0.894) and along the sampling time (P = 0.305), but there was a hormone pattern corresponding with monogamous mating system, even when the polygyny has been reported in this bird. One of the individuals had higher concentrations E_2f (34.09 ± 1 .08 ng/g) than the other two (6.83 ± 1 .38 and 7.98 ± 2.13 ng/g), suggesting a greater reproductive age, as has been previously reported that this hormone increases with senescence. The females did no show significant differences between them (P = 0.473) and along sampling time (P = 0.668). The evaluation of the concentrations of both steroids in the same individual and their ratio allowed defining that the hormonal activity corresponds to the traditionally assigned to each sex, where males show Tf concentrations larger than females and the opposite in the case of E_2f. The E_2f/T_f ratio is therefore greater in females. In captivity, estimate the gonadal activity to determine the success or reproductive failure, assess sexual maturity and fertility of wild animals, allow determining if an individual or group has the ability to reproduce and become part of a breeding program.

Disponible en Acta Zoológica Mexicana 31(1):1-9

Presentación del libro "Monitoreo y manejo del venado cola blanca. Conceptos y Métodos"

PRESENTACION
DE
LIBRO

por

• Ing. Antonio González A.    (SEMARNAT),
• Dr. Arturo Orozco    (ASUMAVER),
• Dr. Martín Aluja (INECOL)

Amphibian Diversity and Threatened Species in a Severely Transformed Neotropical Region in México

Amphibian Diversity and Threatened Species in a Severely Transformed Neotropical Region in México

Yocoyani Meza-Parral,
Dr. Eduardo Pineda Arredondo

Abstract
Many regions around the world concentrate a large number of highly endangered species that have very restricted distributions. The mountainous region of central Veracruz, Mexico, is considered a priority area for amphibian conservation because of its high level of endemism and the number of threatened species. The original tropical montane cloud forest in the region has been dramatically reduced and fragmented and is now mainly confined to ravines and hillsides. We evaluated the current situation of amphibian diversity in the cloud forest fragments of this region by analyzing species richness and abundance, comparing assemblage structure and species composition, examining the distribution and abundance of threatened species, and identifying the local and landscape variables associated with the observed amphibian diversity. From June to October 2012 we sampled ten forest fragments, investing 944 person-hours of sampling effort. A total of 895 amphibians belonging to 16 species were recorded. Notable differences in species richness, abundance, and assemblage structure between forest fragments were observed. Species composition between pairs of fragments differed by an average of 53%, with the majority (58%) resulting from species replacement and the rest (42%) explained by differences in species richness. Half of the species detected are under threat of extinction according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and although their distribution and abundance varied markedly, there were also ubiquitous and abundant species, along with rare species of restricted distribution. The evident heterogeneity of the ten study sites indicates that to conserve amphibians in a mountainous region such as this one it is necessary to protect groups of fragments which represent the variability of the system. Both individually and together cloud forest fragments are very important to conservation because each remnant is inhabited by several threatened species, some of them at imminent risk of extinction.

Disponible en journals.plos.org

Documental producido por la Dra. Carolina Valdespino y el Acuario de Veracruz

La ausencia de la nutria de río se asocia con la perturbación de los ecosistemas acuáticos. Sus heces fecales se usan para saber en dónde están presentes. También se cuantifica el estrés en éstas, como resultado de la modificación del paisaje aledaño al rio y la calidad del agua.

Información: Dra. Carolina Valdespino Quevedo