Yucatan Peninsula Research Articles

Anthelmintic activity and chemical profile of native plant extracts from the Yucatan Peninsula against Toxocara canis

Toxocara canis can produce the “larva migrans” syndrome in humans, and in puppies, it can cause severe digestive disorders. The most used treatments are based on anthelmintics, although there are reports of anthelmintic (AH) resistance. The Yucatan Peninsula has a great variety of plant species whose AH properties are still unknown. The objective of this study was to evaluate the in vitro AH activity of ethanolic (EE), methanolic (ME) and aqueous (AE) extracts from the leaves of five native plant species of the Yucatan Peninsula on T. canis eggs of dogs from Merida, Yucatan. As part of a screening, the EE of the plants Alseis yucatanensis, Calea jamaicensis, Cameraria latifolia, Macrocepis diademata, and Parathesis cubana were evaluated at doses of 2400 and 3600 μg/ml. The EE and AE of A. yucatanensis and M. diademata presented high percentages (≥ 91.3%) of inhibition of the larval development of T. canis after six days of exposure. The lowest LC50 and LC99 was presented by the ME from A. yucatanensis (255.5 and 629.06 µg/ml, respectively) and the ME from M. diademata (222.4 and 636.5 µg/ml, respectively), and the AE from A. yucatanenesis (LC50 of 535.9 µg/ml). Chemical profiling of the most potent AH extract (Alseis yucatanensis) was carried out by LC-UV-HRMS. Data from the ME and AE from this plant indicated the presence of the known glucosylngoumiensine, kaempferol 3,7-diglucosyde, uvaol, linoleic acid and linolenic acid together with unknown alkaloids. The EE, ME and AE from leaves of M. diademata and A. yucatanensis could be developed as natural alternatives to control T. canis.

Potential Anti-Infectious Activity of Essential Oil Chemotypes of Lippia origanoides Kunth on Antibiotic-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Strains.

Staphylococcus aureus infections are prevalent in healthcare and community environments. Methicillin-resistant S. aureus is catalogued as a superbug of high priority among the pathogens. This Gram-positive coccus can form biofilms and produce toxins, leading to persistent infection and antibiotic resistance. Limited effective antibiotics have encouraged the development of innovative strategies, with a particular emphasis on resistance mechanisms and/or virulence factors. Medicinal aromatic plants have emerged as promising alternative sources. This study investigated the antimicrobial, antibiofilm, and antihemolysis properties of three different chemotypes of Lippia origanoides essential oil (EO) against susceptible and drug-resistant S. aureus strains. The chemical composition of the EO was analyzed using GC-MS, revealing high monoterpene concentrations, with carvacrol and thymol as the major components in two of the chemotypes. The third chemotype consisted mainly of the sesquiterpene β-caryophyllene. The MIC values for the two monoterpene chemotypes ranged from 62.5 to 500 µg/mL for all strains, whereas the sesquiterpene chemotype showed activity against seven strains at concentrations of 125-500 µg/mL, which is the first report of its anti-S. aureus activity. The phenolic chemotypes inhibited biofilm formation in seven S. aureus strains, whereas the sesquiterpene chemotype only inhibited biofilm formation in four strains. In addition, phenolic chemotypes displayed antihemolysis activity, with IC50 values ranging from 58.9 ± 3.8 to 128.3 ± 9.2 µg/mL. Our study highlights the importance of L. origanoides EO from the Yucatan Peninsula, which has the potential for the development of anti-S. aureus agents.

A pivot point in Maya history: fire-burning event at K'anwitznal (Ucanal) and the making of a new era of political rule

Key tipping points of history are rarely found directly in the archaeological record, not least because an event's significance often lies in the perception of the participants. This article documents an early-ninth-century ritual fire-burning event at the Maya site of Ucanal in Guatemala and argues that it marked a public dismantling of an old regime. Rather than examine this event as part of a Classic period Maya collapse, the authors propose that it was a revolutionary pivot point around which the K'anwitznal polity reinvented itself, ushering in wider political transitions in the southern Maya Lowlands.

Spatiotemporal variability of the rainy season in the Yucatan Peninsula

AbstractThe rainfall regime is a critical factor in the Yucatan Peninsula, as the spatial and multiannual variability of rainfall is a major concern, particularly for crops. Variability in the rainy season was examined considering the onset and demise of the annual rainy season, the total rain volume, the rainfall season duration and the intense precipitation events recorded in meteorological stations (1978–2020). We analysed individual time series and calculated the long‐term trend. Additionally, we explored the relationship between each summer rainfall characteristic and several oceanographic indices using multivariate techniques. We also developed a Trans‐Isthmic Index from the relationship between the El Niño–Southern Oscillation and the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation. This index allows for determining the effect of the overall influence of the ocean on climate. The timeseries analysis revealed a high interannual variability and long‐term positive trends concerning the duration of the rainy season with earlier onset and later demise, and the total rainfall volume and also a positive trend for the occurrence of heavy precipitation suggesting a shift in intra‐annual patterns. Spatially, the analysis revealed clusters of stations with a similar variation, probably related to the AMO, NIÑO3.4 or TII indices. The spatial pattern was confirmed by analysing CHIRPS gridded precipitation data. Our results show that wetter conditions are associated with lower temperatures in the equatorial Pacific and warmer conditions in the Atlantic.

Characterization of native Ya´ax ik chili pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) in the Yucatan Peninsula

Objective: To morphologically characterize the Ya´ax ik chili pepper: wild chili (Capsicum annuum), native variety from the Yucatan Peninsula. Design/methodology: Ya´ax ik chili pepper seeds were sown in 200-cavity polystyrene trays, and then the plants were placed in bags for hydroponics and were morphologically characterized using the Capsicum descriptor of the International Institute of Genetic Resources. Results: The plant showed 118 cm and 34.8 cm of height and ramification width and width of the intermediate plant, hanging white flowers and green fruits in the early stage and red at maturity with 7.42 and 2.32 cm length and width. Additionally, tolerance to the virus caused by whiteflies could be observed. Findings and conclusions: Plant with morphological characteristics susceptible to be genetically improved for its extensive farming, given the market acceptance of the fresh and dried fruit, supported by market prices.

Repellent screening of ethanol extracts from plants of the Yucatan Peninsula against Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius, 1889) and chemical profile of Malpighia glabra L. leaves

Repellent screening of ethanol extracts from plants of the Yucatan Peninsula against Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius, 1889) and chemical profile of Malpighia glabra L. leaves

The Complete Genome Sequences of 12 Species of Plants from the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico.

We present the complete genome sequences of 12 species of plants from Campeche, Mexico and the greater Yucatan Peninsula: Agave americana, Agave angustifolia, Agave fourcroydes, Agave karwinskii, Agave potatorum, Agave tequiliana, Annona squamosa, Cedrela odorata, Pouteria campechiana, Pouteria glomerata, Trichilia hirta and Trichilia minutiflora.

Wetland landscapes in the Southern Maya Lowlands (Naachtun, Guatemala) from the ancient agroecosystems to the tropical biosphere reserve: Ecology, exploitation and management of water and soil resources, and heritage legacy

AbstractIn the Biosphere Reserve of the Maya Lowlands, the large‐scale characterisation of the current wetlands ecology and the exploitation and management of their natural resources by the ancient Maya is severely constrained by the forest. This paper presents an integrated geomatic, geoarchaeological and ecological approach, developed to overcome this obstacle in the microregion of the Naachtun Maya city. It is based on the analysis of LiDAR, and field and laboratory data. This approach has revealed the mosaic of current ecological conditions of the wetlands, thanks to the characterisation and spatial modelling of the landforms, hydrology, vegetation and soil cover. It has enabled the characterisation of numerous hydraulic and agricultural structures: 70 large reservoirs, raised fields (the largest over 1.5 km²), canals and ditches (with a cumulative length of over 300 km) and dikes. Eight morphological types of hybrid structures—hydraulic and agricultural—are described. These constructions have enabled the intensive exploitation of water and soil resources, their management and the resulting environmental risks. This study has shown that the agroecosystems of lowland areas were created as early as ~1500 B.C.E. and evolved in a polyphasic way, until a phase of radical decline around 1000 C.E. This study has made it possible to characterise the legacy of the Maya Early Anthropocene on current wetlands, as well as their important natural and cultural heritage.

Comparative analysis of the application of the Lichtenecker and Lichtenecker – Asaad models for the theoretical assessment of the rocks effective thermal conductivity

The analysis of the conditions and limitations of using the Lichtenecker and Lichtenecker – Asaad models for predictive assessment of the effective thermal conductivity of rocks have been carried out. For a comparative assessment, experimental data on the thermal conductivity of carbonate rocks (limestone, dolomite) from the South-West German Molasse basin, the Chicxulub impact structure (Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico) and the Bazhenov Formation (Western Siberia, Russia) have been considered. Comparative assessments were carried out based on the use of correlation relationships obtained by the authors of experimental works as a result of regression analysis of the petrophysical properties of carbonate rocks. The results of the computational and analytical assessment have shown that the highest accuracy of thermal conductivity prediction using the Lichtenecker – Asaad model can be achieved if experimental data are available that provide a highly accurate determination of the structure factor. The features of the influence of various parameters of the Lichtenecker – Asaad model on the error in estimating the effective thermal conductivity of the rock have been studied. It has been established that at the stage of pre-design research, the Lichtenecker model can be used for a fairly correct theoretical assessment of the thermal conductivity of water-saturated, slightly porous rocks.

Prognostic Factors for Residual Lithiasis in Patients With Staghorn Calculi Undergoing Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy in the Maya Region of Yucatan, Mexico: A Case-Control Study.

Yucatan stands out as the state with the highest prevalence of urolithiasis in Mexico,placing significant demands on healthcare services, such as consultation and surgical intervention. Staghorn calculi are related to recurrent urinary tract infections, and their management is always surgical. The stone-free rate is a parameter used to measure the success of surgery, with residual stones considered those persisting four weeks after surgical management. There are understudied prognostic factors that can predict the success of achieving stone-free status, taking into account the number of stones, their location, and the anatomical variations of the patient's collecting system. The study aims to determine the prognostic factors for residual lithiasis in patients with staghorn calculi treated with percutaneous nephrolithotomy at the High Specialty Regional Hospital of the Yucatan Peninsula. A case-control study was performed including 188 patients, aged 18 years or older, and diagnosed with staghorn calculus from January 2022 to June 2023, grouping the patients according to their stone-free rate evidence on postoperative computed tomography. Data were collected from the records of the Urology Department at a high-specialty hospital in Yucatan. The groups were analyzed, aiming to establish an association between preoperative factors and postoperative outcomes measured in terms of stone-free rate. A total of 188 patients with staghorn calculi were included, with a predominance in females (58.5%) and a mean age of 45.4 ± 11.9 years. The most common comorbidity was hypertension (29.8%), and 27.7% had a history of recurrent urinary tract infections. Regarding the Sampaio classification, B1 was the most prevalent in our population with 66 cases (35.1%), while Type A2 was the least common (13.8%). According to what was obtained through the multivariate logistic regression model, the calyceal anatomy Type A1 and A2 were associated with residual lithiasis (p= 0.016 OR: 2.994 CI: 1.223-7.331), and Grade IV was associated with a higher rate of residual lithiasis (p=0.005 CI: 1.586-13.100).A statistically significant association was found between stone burden and the presence of residual lithiasis (p=< 0.001). Guy's Score Grade IV showed a higher incidence of residual lithiasis,seemingly associated with stone burden, leading to the conclusion that both factors were categorized as predictors for the development of post-surgical residual lithiasis. Regarding anatomical variations according to Sampaio, it was observed that types A1 and A2 showed a lower rate of stone-free status. Therefore, we also consider them as variables that may influence the achievement of success in endourological management. Personalized patient assessment allows for more accurate prognostic factors, enabling a more comprehensive surgical planning in the presence of staghorn calculi.

Two new Incisitermes (Isoptera: Kalotermitidae) species from the Caribbean Basin, genetic relationships with other regional Incisitermes, and synonymy of Incisitermes tabogae with I. schwarzi

Two new species of Incisitermes are described from the soldier and imago caste: Incisitermes lisae sp. nov. (Yucatan Region) and Incisitermes mariae sp. nov. (Venezuela and Trinidad and Tobago). Incisitermes tabogae (Snyder, 1924) is reduced to a junior synonymy of Incisitermes schwarzi (Banks, 1920), known from Florida, the West Indies, and the Caribbean basin mainland. The phylogenetic relationships of these three species are compared with other Incisitermes of the region.

Seasonally flooded Coquinal: typifying a particular plant association in the northern Yucatan peninsula, Mexico

Background: One of the most diverse and threatened plant associations in the Yucatan peninsula has not been characterized and therefore not included in any protection category in Mexico. We characterize and describe this plant association, which is rapidly disappearing or being irreversibly transformed as a result of anthropic activities. We propose a name and attempt a preliminary assessment of its taxonomic richness, and the identification of priority species to be preserved.&#x0D; Questions: What is the species richness and plant endemism associated within this plant association? What are the ecologically important and high-priority species for conservation? How is it different from associated or similar plant associations?&#x0D; Studied species: Vascular plants.&#x0D; Study site and dates: Northern Yucatan peninsula; 2021-2023.&#x0D; Methods: The plant association was characterized, and quantitative parameters were recorded. The Importance Value Index was estimated to assess its local ecological importance, and each species was assigned a conservation category in order to evaluate the conservation status in a global context.&#x0D; Results: We propose Seasonally flooded Coquinal (SFC) as a name for this plant association based on geomorphological, physiognomic, and structural attributes. A total of 206 species were recorded, which two are endemic to the SFC and 28 to the Yucatan Peninsula Biotic Province (YPBP). Twelve species are listed under a risk category.&#x0D; Conclusions: The SFC harbors a high plant diversity of endemic species to the YPBP, 12 of which are included in the IUCN red list, for which its typification and conservation should be a high priority in Mexico.

Sargassum spp. Ethanolic Extract Elicits Toxic Responses and Malformations in Zebrafish (Danio rerio) Embryos.

The amount of Sargassum spp. arriving in the Caribbean Sea has increased steadily in the last few years, producing a profound environmental impact on the ecological dynamics of the coasts of the Yucatan Peninsula. We characterized the toxicological effects of an ethanolic extract of Sargassum spp. on zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos (ZFEs) in a 96-h static bioassay using T1 (0.01 mg/L), T2 (0.1 mg/L), T3 (1 mg/L), T4 (10 mg/L), T5 (25 mg/L), T6 (50 mg/L), T7 (75 mg/L), T8 (100 mg/L), T9 (200 mg/L), and T10 (400 mg/L). In this extract, we detected 74 compounds by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), of which hexadecanoic acid methyl ester, and 2-pentanone 4-hydroxy-4-methyl, were the most abundant. In ZFEs, a median lethal concentration of 251 mg/L was estimated. Exposed embryos exhibited extensive morphological changes, including edema in the yolk sac, scoliosis, and loss of pigmentation, as well as malformations of the head, tail, and eyes. By integrating these abnormalities using the Integrated Biological Response (IBRv2) and General Morphological Score (GMS) indices, we were able to determine that ZFEs exposed to 200 mg/L (T9) exhibited the most pronounced biological response in comparison with the other groups. In the comparative transcriptomic analysis, 66 genes were upregulated, and 246 genes were downregulated in the group exposed to 200 mg/L compared with the control group. In the upregulated genes, we identified several gene ontology-enriched terms, such as response to xenobiotic stimuli, cellular response to chemical stimulus, transcriptional regulation, pigment metabolic process, erythrocyte differentiation and embryonic hemopoiesis, extracellular matrix organization, and chondrocyte differentiation involved in endochondral bone morphogenesis, among others. In the down-regulated genes, we found many genes associated with nervous system processes, sensory and visual perception, response to abiotic stimulus, and the nucleoside phosphate biosynthetic process. The probable connections among the morphological changes observed in the transcriptome are thoroughly discussed. Our findings suggest that Sargassum spp. exposure can induce a wide negative impact on zebrafish embryos. Environ Toxicol Chem 2024;43:1075-1089. © 2024 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.

Prediction of mangrove recovery in natural protected areas of the Yucatan Peninsula

Natural protected areas (NPAs) in the Yucatan Peninsula favour the conservation of mangrove forests, which are valuable ecosystems for their provision of ecosystem services. However, mangroves are vulnerable to destruction due to natural and anthropogenic pressures. Therefore, it is important to assess their spatial and temporal dynamics and the potential for deforestation and recovery of cover. In this study, we analyse and model mangrove forest cover change in six NPAs of the Yucatan Peninsula by 2025. Predictions were made using the cellular automata method (CA-Markov) based on attributes that drive rates of change (obtained Kappa coefficients between 0.78 and 0.91). Anthropogenic development was the most dominant potential driver of land use and land cover change in all NPAs except the Flora and Fauna Protection Area-Yum Balam. During the period 2005–2015, the Biosphere Reserves-Petenes and Celestún showed the greatest mangrove loss, followed by the Flora and Fauna Protection Area-Nichupté. These processes changed for the simulated period (2015–2025), where an increase in mangrove cover is projected in these protected areas. Flora and Fauna Protection Area-Términos is the only protected area where a projected transition of mangroves to anthropogenic development has been identified. Therefore, it should be considered an area vulnerable to mangrove transformation and loss.

Waka’ Stela 44 and the Early Classic Kaan hegemony

Abstract The Kaan (“Snake”) kings, a powerful political entity in the Classic Maya Lowlands, were housed in the Early Classic period at Dzibanche, and they moved their capital to Calakmul by the year a.d. 642 (Helmke and Awe 2016; Martin 2020:138–139). Their network of alliance and intermarriage radiated southward, and Waka's early eighth-century queen, Lady K'abel, was from the Kaan bloodline and married in to the Wak lineage, exemplifying the close connection between the two political entities. The discovery of Stela 44 in tunneling efforts in M13-1, the city's important ritual center, allows us to trace political ties between the Kaan and Wak kings to significantly earlier than previously known, which seem to begin around the mid-sixth century. This monument provides insight into three converging lines of evidence supporting the profound alliance these elites had built: first, the accession of a Wak king, Wa'oom Uch'ab Ahk, under the supervision of the Kaan king K'ahk’ Ti’ Ch'ich’; second, the father of the new king, Chak Tok Ich'aak, seems to be connected to La Corona, another early Kaan ally; and third, the mother of Wa'oom Uch'ab Ahk, Ix Ikoom, is also connected to La Corona and the broader Kaan hegemony through her title ix sak wahyis.

Changing Trees, Enduring Forests: Institutional Bricolage, Gradual Change and Community Forestry among Yucatec Mayans in Mexico

ABSTRACTThis article seeks to understand why community forestry enterprises in the Mayan rainforest of Mexico are losing ground, while middlemen and manufacturers are regaining control over forestry resources. It focuses on the case of the Ejido San Felipe Oriente where an NGO codesigned a commercialization platform with the objective of bringing together local cooperatives to negotiate in the market from a position of strength. The project was hampered by an internal rupture in the ejido; in investigating this rupture, the authors use the concept of institutional bricolage to understand local power struggles, and the theory of gradual change to search for historical causal mechanisms. They find that the proximate causes of the rupture were family rivalries, suspicions of embezzlement, unfair exclusions, and the disruption of customary practices regarding the distribution of monetary benefits. However, historical continuities lay beneath the power struggle: ejidos in the Yucatan Peninsula have used their function as intermediaries to subordinate local interests rather than promote endogenous development. The authors advocate for an institutional design process that takes account of the unconscious and taken‐for‐granted meanings that influence institutional adaptation; they encourage development practitioners promoting community forestry enterprises in the Mayan rainforest of Mexico to address historical continuities in local institutions as a focal target of development interventions.

The role of ecological niche conservatism in the evolution of bird distributional patterns in Mesoamerican seasonally dry forests

AbstractAimDue to its complex biogeographical and ecological history, the seasonally dry forests (SDF) of Mesoamerica are considered a biodiversity hotspot. SDF are currently distributed in relatively large and continuous, but isolated areas, in which there are both high total and endemic species numbers. Among birds, few species are shared across SDF patches; other species are endemic to one of these; and for two species currently endemic to one patch, fossils have been recovered in a different one, suggesting a former widespread distribution in so species, implying that current distributional patterns are probably recent.LocationMesoamerican seasonally dry forests.MethodsWe assessed the role of niche divergence/conservatism in the evolution of bird distributional patterns. Using an ecological niche modelling approach, we estimated palaeodistributions for two species currently endemic to the SDF of Yucatan Peninsula (YP), two to the Mesoamerican Pacific Slope (MPS) with fossil record in the YP and two more showing an allopatric pattern. For comparison, we simulated virtual species (VS) matching each pattern, assuming they represent the expected distribution of species in each SDF patch. To test hypothesis of niche conservatism, we assessed the niche equivalence/similarity between the patches represented by the VS, and in each bird species and its VS distributional counterpart.ResultsOur results showed three patterns: (i) no past geographical connectiveness among suitable areas; (ii) niche conservatism, but not equivalence, despite low niche overlap and geographical distance; and (iii) potential niche divergence.Main ConclusionsFor birds currently endemic to the MPS, our results suggest that the absence from the YP may be attributed to the loss of their environmental niche. Widespread species showed either niche conservatism or divergence. YP endemics showed niche divergence. Our results underline the role of niche divergence/conservatism in the evolution of distributional patterns in Mesoamerican SDF avifauna.

Thermohaline and current variability off the west Yucatan peninsula coast

Thermohaline and current variability for a certain period in the first ∼40 km off the western Yucatan Peninsula were analyzed, from five hydrographic campaigns carried out between 2017 and 2018, and 2.5 years of two moored current meters and satellite wind observations. Three different coastal environments in the study region create local particularities important to the thermohaline variations: mangrove forests, coastal lagoons, and river or groundwater discharges. The thermohaline variability presented a seasonality marked principally by the salinity balances and by the temperature heating/cooling cycles. Seawater was commonly saltier near the coast, principally in spring (dry epoch) when there is an increase in evaporation. The type of waters identified were modified versions of the Caribbean water masses, where precipitation/evaporation balances, along with the wind forcing, mixed them with the near-coastal local fluxes. Dimensional analysis showed that bottom friction was not negligible (Ek > 1), and that water column stratification constrained the flow (Ri > 1). Currents off Campeche and Sisal flowed west-southwest and showed low coherency between sites, due to the different coastline orientations. Their predominant force was the wind stress, but bottom friction affected them, supported by the Ekman surface and bottom layers intersection. Ekman surface layer was commonly deeper than the actual depth, therefore Ekman spiral cannot develop completely, hence currents had an angle to the right of the direction of the winds of 72° (42°) in Campeche (Sisal). These flows were moderately coherent and in phase with the wind stress, at periods of 5 (18) days, respectively.

Astronomy, Architecture, and Landscape in the Olmec Area and Western Maya Lowlands: Implications for Understanding Regional Variability and Evolution of Orientation Patterns in Mesoamerica

AbstractIn the area along the southern Gulf Coast in Mexico, a large number of previously unrecorded archaeological sites have recently been detected with the aid of lidar data, which also allowed us to determine the orientations of hundreds of structures and architectural assemblages, including many standardized complexes dated to the Early-to-Middle Formative transition. As revealed by our analyses, most orientations were based on astronomical and calendrical principles, occasionally combined with certain concepts of sacred geography. While the results of these analyses were presented in a recently published article, here we explore the potential of alignment data for addressing other questions of archaeological relevance. The distribution of particular building types and regional variations in alignment patterns in the study area suggest the existence of two somehow different cultural spheres, loosely corresponding to the areas conventionally called the Gulf Olmec region and the western Maya Lowlands. Examining pertinent evidence, we argue that it was in this area where some of the most prominent orientation groups materialized in later Mesoamerican architecture originated. We also attempt to reconstruct the paths of their diffusion, which are expected to contribute to understanding the dynamics of long-distance cultural interaction in Mesoamerica.

Historical meteorological droughts over the CORDEX‐CAM (Central America, Caribbean and Mexico) domain: Evaluating the simulation of dry hot spots with RegCM4

AbstractHistorical meteorological droughts are analysed over the Coordinated Regional Downscaling Experiment‐Central America, Caribbean and Mexico (CORDEX‐CAM) domain during 1981–2010, with particular emphasis on the North American monsoon (NAM) and the mid‐summer drought (MSD) regions. We analyse droughts based on the standardized precipitation index (SPI‐12) and the standardized precipitation‐evapotranspiration index (SPEI‐12) using observations from CRU, CHIRPS, GPCP and ERA5‐Land reanalysis (ERA5), and assess the skill of the regional climate model RegCM4 (version 7) at 25 km resolution driven by ERA‐Interim (Reg‐ERA) and by three global climate models (Reg‐GCMs: Reg‐Had, Reg‐MPI and Reg‐GFDL). Observational data sets show large spatial variations in drought frequency, and both Reg‐ERA and Reg‐GCMs have difficulties simulating it. RegCM4 shows positive precipitation and water balance biases over mountain regions and negative ones over Central America, possibly due to the complex terrain and poor observational data coverage. Despite differences among observations, the trend in droughts, duration and severity show consistent dry hot spots (regions with long‐duration severe droughts) over the western United States, the United States‐Mexico border region, the NAM, the Yucatan Peninsula and northern Central America, with stronger values of SPEI‐12 than SPI‐12, particularly over the subtropical regions. Reg‐ERA and ERA5 show similar spatial patterns and similar positive and negative spatial biases relative to observations. Reg‐ERA and Reg‐Had adequately simulate the spatial patterns of the trend, duration and severity of droughts, with smaller biases in SPI‐12 than SPEI‐12; in contrast, Reg‐MPI and Reg‐GFDL overestimate the trend biases over northwest CAM. Observations, reanalysis, and RegCM4 capture an inverse drought response between the NAM and the MSD regions linked to climate teleconnections; however, a stronger drought signal is observed in the NAM, which appears to be linked to decadal variations from negative to positive phases of the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation combined with La Niña conditions (negative El Niño 1+2 phase).