Abstract
Avocado cultivation has reduced the extent of forest ecosystems in central Mexico, even in natural protected areas such as the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve (MBBR) where information on the extent and expansion dynamics of avocado cover is scant. This study aimed to identify avocado plantations within the MBBR through photo interpretation for the 2006–2018 period. Change rates of the avocado cover extent were calculated for the northern, central, and southern zones of the MBBR, and topographic attributes such as elevation, soil type, slope, and slope aspect were identified. A total extent of 958 ha is covered by avocado plantations within the MBBR. The southern zone hosted the largest area under avocado cultivation (570 ha), but the northern zone had the highest change rate between 2006 and 2018 (422%). Most avocado orchards have been established mainly in Acrisol soils, south-facing slopes, on steep hillsides, and in elevations between 2050 and 2800 m. The conversion from traditional agricultural lands has been the main mechanism for the establishment of avocado orchards. However, 40 ha under avocado cultivation derived from deforestation, mainly in the central zone. The expansion of avocado plantations could trigger environmental impacts, even threatening the overwintering habitat and the migratory phenomenon of the monarch butterflies.
Highlights
Land-use change has been a relevant source of environmental degradation worldwide, a process strongly correlated with the expansion of pasture and agricultural lands, urban areas, and mining [1]
This natural protected area belongs to the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt and is formed by three montane ranges: Sierra Chincua in the northern zone, Sierra Campanario-ChivatiHuacal in the central zone, and Sierra Cerro Pelón in the southern zone
Areas covered by avocado orchards were found along the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve (MBBR) polygon in the southern, central, and northern zones, occupying a total extent of 958 ha (Figure 3)
Summary
Land-use change has been a relevant source of environmental degradation worldwide, a process strongly correlated with the expansion of pasture and agricultural lands, urban areas, and mining [1]. Land-use change reduces biodiversity [2], modifies the physicochemical properties of soils [3], alters hydrology [4], and increases greenhouse gas emissions [5]. The global expansion of new markets and the consumption of high-demand products, such as oil palm and soybean, have promoted land-use changes in southeastern Asia and Latin. America, where these crops have been established on a massive scale in export-oriented intensive plantations [6,7].
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