Natural Protected Areas Research Articles

New data and threat status of two rare North African species of the subgenus Bolognaia (Coleoptera: Meloidae: Meloini: Eurymeloe)

This study updates the distribution and conservation status of two poorly documented blister beetle species in Morocco: Eurymeloe (Bolognaia) pallidicolor (Martínez de la Escalera, 1909) and E. (B.) saharensis (Chobaut, 1898). A new locality for E. pallidicolor is added, which represents the southernmost known occurrence for the species, along with a total of seven new localities for E. saharensis in both the southwest and southeast of Morocco, significantly expanding its known area of occupancy in the country. A preliminary assessment of the threat status for both species is conducted based on IUCN criteria. Additionally, the habitat characteristics of both species in Morocco are described. While E. saharensis faces no immediate threats, E. pallidicolor appears to be a stenotopic species confined to low-altitude coastal and subcoastal areas. Its extent of occurrence and area of occupancy are very limited, which would place E. pallidicolor in an unfavorable conservation status. However, due to the limited available information, it would qualify as “Data Deficient” species according to the IUCN criteria. These findings emphasize the crucial role of natural protected areas, such as Souss-Massa National Park, in supporting populations of species affected by habitat destruction in the region. Lastly, a brief comment on the internal taxonomy of the genus Eurymeloe is provided, and a new combination is established: Eurymeloe (Bolognaia) digiuliorum (Bologna, Riccieri & Spagoni, 2024) comb. nov.

A Data-Based Discussion About Land Management Decisions That Limit Access to Protected Areas

Outdoor educators rely on access to protected natural areas to provide transformative learning experiences, yet increasing recreational use threatens this access due to ecological harm and resulting management interventions. This paper explores the ecological impacts of non-motorized outdoor recreation and the implications for outdoor educators’ access to protected areas, using the Manistee River Trail in Michigan as a case study. Drawing on academic literature and field observations, this commentary highlights the adverse impacts of quiet recreation, such as erosion and campsite proliferation, and the challenges faced by conservation agencies in managing overuse. The commentary includes a brief overview of data collection methods used to assess the MRT’s condition and offers recommendations for collaborative approaches between curricular and co-curricular outdoor education programs and conservation agencies to address these challenges. By emphasizing the importance of data-driven management decisions and partnerships, this paper underscores the need to balance conservation efforts with access to outdoor classrooms.

Mapping and Analyzing Ecosystem Services Hotspots and Coldspots for Sustainable Spatial Planning in the Greater Asmara Area, Eritrea.

Rapid urbanization in African metropolises like the Greater Asmara Area, Eritrea, poses numerous environmental challenges, including soil sealing, loss of vegetation cover, threats to protected natural areas, and climate change, among others. Mapping and assessing ecosystem services, particularly analyzing their spatial and temporal distribution is crucial for sustainable spatial planning. This study aims at mapping and analyzing ecosystem services hotspots and coldspots dynamics in the Greater Asmara Area to identify recent trends and opportunities for enhancing ecosystem services supply. Utilizing remote sensing images, we produced land cover maps for 2009 and 2020 and mapped six ecosystem services through a lookup table approach. The study includes provisioning, regulating and maintenance, and cultural ecosystem services. We analyzed their spatio-temporal variations, identifying ecosystem services hotspots and coldspots and their changes over time. Results show that overall ecosystem services potential in the Greater Asmara Area remains low but stable, with some improvements. By 2020, areas with no ecosystem services potential decreased in southern regions like Gala Nefhi and Berik, and new hotspots and coldspots emerged in central Gala Nefhi. This pilot study demonstrates the feasibility and key challenges of the ecosystem services hotspots and coldspots approach for sustainable spatial planning in rapidly urbanizing African metropolitan regions. Despite limitations, the study offers valuable insights into ecosystem services potentials, and related hotspots and coldspots dynamics, raising awareness and paving the way for further research and application.

Plan de manejo basado en ecosistemas para el santuario Chenkan, Campeche

The objective of this work was to design an ecosystem-based management plan for the Chenkan Beach Sanctuary, located in the municipality of Champoton, state of Campeche, using as methodology the twelve principles of the ecosystem approach mentioned by Shepherd (2006) grouped into the following steps: determination of the main actors, characterization of the structure and function of the ecosystem, identification of the relevant economic aspects that will affect the ecosystems and their inhabitants, determination of the probable impact of the ecosystem on adjacent ecosystems and decision of long-term goals and flexible mechanisms to achieve them. The results obtained indicate that the Chenkan Beach Sanctuary was named a protected natural area due to the great variety of species that are at risk, which are registered in the NOM-059-SEMARNAT-2010 and because it is a nesting site for the hawksbill turtle and the green turtle. It was found that the place has erosion problems that put the nesting sites at risk and that various anthropogenic activities have altered the ecosystems causing the turtles to have to migrate to find a new suitable site to nest. Based on all these problems, proposals are put forward to help mitigate the existing problems in the area. Keywords: Chenkan Beach, environmental problems, ecosystem services, ecosystem approach.

Prediction of the potential Brazilian distribution for invasive mollusc Melanoides tuberculata (Müller, 1774), including a new record from Northern Coastal Region

The freshwater snail Melanoides tuberculata (Müller, 1774) native from Africa and Asia, recently spreads out over the world. Records of invasive species are extremely important, because it helps in future invasions mitigation. Here, we report for the first time the occurrence of M. tuberculata in a protected area of Northern Brazilian Coast and use predictive distribution modeling to know the potential Brazilian distribution for this species. The gastropod M. tuberculata were collected in the municipalities of Tutóia and Santo Amaro - Maranhão State. According to the results of the predictive map distribution for Brazil, the regions with the highest susceptibility are the northeast, southeast and midwest. Preciptation of month and Isothermalithy were de variables that most contribute to the species’ potential distribution. This species presented high to medium suitability of occurrence in 32 national protected areas. Futher studies are recommended to monitor the growth and dispersion, in order to determine its real impact.

The Influence of a Regional Public Brand on Consumers’ Purchase Intention and Behavior Toward Eco-Agricultural Products: A Chinese National Park Case

Transforming ecological value into economic value is an important challenge regarding China’s protected natural areas. The key strategy is to develop a regional public brand and increase the premium of eco-products. A brand–quality–price model was proposed to analyze the factors influencing consumers’ purchase intention and behavior toward eco-agricultural products from China’s protected natural areas. The data came from a questionnaire survey sample of 300 consumers in Zhejiang Province. The results show that there is a gap between purchase intention and actual behavior: (1) For purchase intention, brand awareness, brand trust, perceived quality, and perceived price had significant positive influences. (2) For purchase behavior, brand awareness, and purchase intention had direct impacts. However, brand trust did not directly affect behavior. (3) Age, monthly income, and marital status had significant effects on purchase intention and behavior. However, purchase intention and behavior were not affected by gender, and the educational level had significant effects on purchase intention but had no significant effects on purchase behavior. (4) Consumers were willing to pay 17.13% more than the price of the ordinary products. This study provides important references for brand development and valuable experience for establishing ecological product value realization mechanisms in other protected natural areas.

Biodiversity loss in a gradient of urbanization: rodent community structure in a subtropical area of Northern Argentina

Abstract Urbanization promotes habitat degradation because it involves irreversible processes that homogenize habitats and favor the exclusion of native species. This research evaluates rodent community structure at different levels of urbanization in Misiones, Argentina. We expect that rodent communities are less diverse in more highly urbanized areas and that communities differ between each level of urbanization. To assess these hypotheses, rodent capture sessions were carried out from July 2017 to March 2020, totaling 21,985 trap-nights. Alpha and beta diversity were calculated for each level of urbanization. We captured a total of 684 individuals belonging to 8 sylvan-native and 2 commensal-exotic species. Species richness was greatest and evenness was lowest in natural protected areas. The native species Akodon montensis was the most abundant, while the remaining 7 native species represented less than 23% of the total of captures. The rural area showed the second-highest richness, and the community was principally represented by 2 native and 2 exotic species. The periurban area was ranked third in richness and with the highest evenness, dominated by A. montensis followed by Mus musculus and Rattus rattus. The urban area exhibited the lowest richness represented only by the 2 commensal-exotic species. In agreement with our expectations, these results show a negative association between urbanization level and small rodent diversity, evidenced by a reduction in the number of native species in highly urbanized areas.

Spatial Anaysis and Modelling to Mappping Priorities Areas for Restauration: Study Case: Natural Protected Area Montes Azules, Chiapas, Mexico

Natural Protected Areas play a fundamental role in the conservation of biodiversity and ecosystems throughout the world and are designated and managed with the purpose of preserving biological and cultural capital, ensuring the sustainable use of natural resources, and maintaining ecosystem services. The Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve, like other Natural Protected in Mexico, faces significant challenges such as deforestation, illegal logging, and loss of vegetation cover, as well as socio-environmental conflicts, factors that hinder the biological and cultural conservation of the area. Likewise, despite their importance, many Natural Protected face significant challenges in terms of effective monitoring and planning. The lack of adequate monitoring and planning strategies, as well as staff and budget, makes it difficult to assess the conservation status of these areas and to implement appropriate management measures. Therefore, creating specific monitoring tools is essential to periodically evaluate their conservation status and identify threats and pressures on ecosystems in order to design adaptive and effective management strategies. The objective of this study is to offer a first methodological approach to identify priority areas for restoration within the Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve, which will allow decision-makers to design and apply conservation strategies in the area. The determination of the priority areas for restoration was based on an environmental management process, where the Land suitability is the base for the territorial arrangement, which was modeled together with the current land use and land cover through rules of decision and having the natural protected area as a frame. For land suitability, the land classification system was used according to its use capacity or American system of the 8 classes developed by the Soil Conservation Service of the United States; for mapping land use land cover, an object base classification method was used. The total transformed area in 2023 occupies an extension of 39,475.38 ha, approximately 50% of this lands corresponds to sloping and very steep land and in some cases with shallow to very shallow soils, not suitable for agriculture. The area identified as priority zones for restoration corresponds to an extension of 19,514.5 ha, which represents nearly 50% of the transformed area, and 6% of the total of study area, from which 6,860.5 ha are top priority for restoration. As main conclusion can be said that the methodological proposal described here serves as a first approximation to identify priority zones for restoration in the Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve, allowing for a more detailed identification of these areas at the local level, which will allow decision-makers to design and apply conservation strategies in the area.

A systematic approach for scoping potential key biodiversity areas

AbstractThe new key biodiversity areas (KBA) standard is an important method for identifying regions of the planet‐hosting unique biodiversity. KBAs are identified through the implementation of threshold‐based criteria that can be applied to any target species and region. Current methods to rapidly assess the existence of potential KBAs in different areas of the planet still present important challenges, although they are needed to accelerate the KBA identification process for large numbers of species globally. We developed a methodology to scan geographical regions and detect potential KBAs under multiple criteria. We tested the methodology on 59 species of reptiles and amphibians in Italy through the application of selected KBA criteria. Potential KBAs were identified for multiple species under most criteria, covering 1.4%–12% of the study area, depending on analytical settings. Cell size used to identify KBAs played an important role in shaping the distribution of potential KBAs, also affecting the overlap between areas triggered by different criteria. New potential KBAs identified in this study are only partially coincident with current KBAs in Italy (previously identified for birds) and within the national protected areas.

Reptile Diversity Patterns Under Climate and Land Use Change Scenarios in a Subtropical Montane Landscape in Mexico

ABSTRACTAimMountainous regions are rich in reptile biodiversity but face threats from climate and land use changes. Understanding how these factors affect reptile diversity in these regions can highlight key conservation hotspots that require effective conservation actions. Here, we explored reptile taxonomic and functional diversity patterns along the Sierra Madre del Sur region in southeast Mexico, and potential changes in future years caused by different climate and land use change scenarios.LocationSierra Madre del Sur, México.TaxonReptiles.MethodsWe used species distribution models and information on species traits to estimate taxonomic and functional diversity throughout the Sierra Madre del Sur (SMS) region under current and future climate and land use change scenarios.ResultsGreater taxonomic and functional diversity was observed in both temperate and tropical forests. Taxonomic diversity was higher in more drier areas at high elevations while higher functional diversity was observed in wetter areas at intermediate‐to‐high elevations. Lower diversity for both dimensions was associated with anthropic land uses. In future scenarios, both dimensions of diversity are expected to increase in temperate forest in highlands of central Oaxaca and decrease in the southcentral portion of the SMS, particularly for the worst scenarios due to increased deforestation rates.Main ConclusionsHigher taxonomic diversity in more drier areas at high elevations could be due to historical and evolutionary factors, while higher functional diversity in wetter areas at intermediate‐to‐high elevations may be explained by a higher environmental heterogeneity in forests within these conditions. Larger diversity losses in the southcentral portion of the SMS are probably due to larger predicted deforestation rates in those areas. Our results are valuable not just for informing conservation actions, such as the creation of protected natural areas but also to understand the underlying processes behind the patterns of reptile diversity.

Impact of invasive alien plants on the resident floral diversity in Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve, Nepal.

Invasive alien plant species (IAPS) pose a serious threat to overall plant biodiversity across the globe. Nepal's national parks and protected areas are not devoid of the impact of IAPS. Unfortunately, there is a substantial gap in knowledge regarding the extent and impact of invasion in protected areas of Nepal. This study assessed the impact of invasive alien plant species on the resident plant species of the Koshi Tapu wildlife reserve. After a preliminary field observation, we selected five major IAPS in the area, Mesosphaerum suaveolens, Chromolaena odorata, Ipomoea carnea, Lantana camara, and Mikania micrantha for this study. Ten pairs of adjacent plots sized 4 m × 4 m were surveyed for each invasive species, comprising diverse vegetation types. Each pair consisted of one "invaded plot" where the invasive species was dominant with cover greater than 50%, and another "uninvaded plot" laid out in an adjacent area with similar site conditions but without the invasive species. We calculated the Sørensen Index of Similarity for each paired plot. Wilcoxon rank-sum test was employed to compare ecological parameters between invaded and uninvaded plots for various plant species. Similarly, the difference in impact between each of the five invasive species was assessed using the Kruskal-Wallis test. Species richness varied significantly between invaded and uninvaded plots for C. odorata and I. carnea. The most significant impact on species composition of invaded communities (39.6%) was observed for C. odorata. The cover of the other dominant species varied significantly between invaded and uninvaded plots for all five species studied. The Kruskal-Wallis test showed no significant difference in the impact caused by the five studied invasive species on Species richness, Shannon-Wiener diversity index, species evenness, and height of dominant species. However, a significant difference was observed between the impacts of five studied invasive species and the cover of other dominant species. The crown cover of dominant species decreased much more in the invaded plots of L. camara and M. micrantha than in other species. Specialized management efforts are required to control highly invasive species, such as C. odorata and I. carnea, alongside proactive measures to prevent further spread in ecologically sensitive areas.

Residents’ Perceived Benefits as Determinants of Sustainable Tourism Development

ABSTRACT This study explores how the benefits residents perceive influence their support for tourism and sustainable practices in nature-based tourism. It highlights the importance of community involvement and local support in achieving sustainable tourism. The study uses Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) analysis to test the proposed hypotheses. The research is conducted in Arribes del Duero Natural Park, a protected natural area spanning Spain and Portugal. Data were collected through an online survey with convenience sampling, resulting in 401 usable questionnaires. The findings demonstrate that community involvement has a positive and significant influence on perceived benefits, support for tourism, and sustainable market-oriented approaches. Perceived benefits also positively and significantly impact support for tourism and sustainable market-oriented approaches. Furthermore, support for tourism is found to have a positive and significant influence on sustainability.

Transboundary Ecological Network Communities based on natural protected areas: A case study of the Mekong River Basin, Asia

Natural protected areas (NPAs) around the world play a crucial role in preserving Earth's biodiversity. Ecological networks can be used to identify the close connections between NPAs. The Mekong River, one of the most crucial international rivers in Southeast Asia, boasts a temperate climate and abundant water resources, serving as a hotspot for global biodiversity and a densely populated area with a complex macro-ecosystem. This study, based on the characteristics of cross-border ecosystems in the Mekong River Basin, introduces the concept of “Ecological Network Communities” (ENCs) and demonstrates its foundational construction methodology: firstly, the Minimum Cumulative Resistance (MCR) model is employed to construct ecological networks based on NPAs, followed by applying Clauset-Newman-Moore (CNM) algorithm for community detection within the river basin. The results of the study indicate the presence of deep structures within the ecological networks of the Mekong River Basin and ENCs are observed to exhibit variations over time. The study delves into the complexities of transboundary ecological networks, offering an effective methodology for community detection and uncovering the "Community Merging Effect” observed during the research. It emphasizes the need for constructing ecological networks and community-based management of protected areas, providing new directions for cross-national environmental cooperation and ecosystem management oriented towards complexity.

Climbing route development affects cliff vascular plants more than subsequent climbing: A guide to evidence‐based conservation management to regulate climbing

Abstract Cliff ecosystems provide refuge to 35%–66% of the world's endemic plants. However, they face growing threats from sport climbing. Evidence suggests that unclimbed cliffs harbour approximately twice the plant richness compared with climbed cliffs, with increasing impact as climbing intensity increases. Unfortunately, it remains unknown whether the climbing impact on cliff vegetation originates from the development (opening) of climbing routes or from temporal changes resulting from subsequent climbing. We recorded cliff vascular plants and lichens at the protected natural area of El Potrero Chico (Mexico) before and after the development of new climbing routes. Subsequently, we re‐recorded the routes at sequential timepoints after 10, 20, and 30 ascents. Additionally, we examined whether the abundance of cliff vegetation influences the extent of climbing impact and whether the surroundings of the routes were also affected. We found that the opening of climbing routes exerted the strongest negative effects on cliff plants, reducing species richness by 38%, while subsequent ascents generated a minimal impact. Worryingly, route opening affected not only species richness in the route itself but also the surroundings of the routes. After 30 ascents, cliff plant abundance decreased by 60.6% within the bolted routes, whereas it decreased by 42.3% in the surroundings. However, this impact depended on the original cliff vegetation abundance. Lichen cover showed a gradual decrease, indicating that cliff‐dwelling lichens are affected not only by the opening of the route but also by subsequent ascents. Synthesis and applications: Given the almost non‐existent regulation of outdoor climbing activities in most countries, we urge the implementation of a conservation management protocol that defines clear strategies to regulate climbing activities and preserve pristine cliffs. On yet unclimbed cliffs with narrow endemic, rare, or threatened species, we propose banning the establishment of new climbing areas. On climbed cliffs lacking protected species, dynamic management actions should be implemented, such as setting a maximum number of routes that can be established and defining limits of acceptable change as climbing intensity increases. The proposed conservation management should help to halt the loss of unique cliff biodiversity and safeguard pristine cliff ecosystems.

Numerical and experimental pseudo-static study on block arrangement effects in traditional dry-stone walls for out-of-plane mechanical behavior evaluation

In Lima’s slopes, the absence of urban planning has led to housing built on backfills contained by traditional dry-stone retaining walls, called “pircas,” which pose high seismic risk. A previous study [1], which combined numerical and experimental analyses, evaluated pircas through pseudo-static tests that reflected common construction methods in Lima’s eastern region. One recommendation from that study was to explore effective stone arrangements to enhance the seismic performance of pircas. Consequently, this study aims to examine how the construction process, particularly the arrangement of stones, impacts the out-of-plane behavior of pircas. The research focuses on identifying construction-feasible configurations that can effectively improve their seismic performance. For this purpose, natural-scale pseudo-static experimental studies and numerical modeling using the Discrete Element Method (DEM) were carried out. The experimental campaign consisted of nine pseudo-static tests on different wall arrangements. The pseudo-static numerical study included seventy wall arrangements. The geometry of the blocks was simplified to eliminate this component from the analysis, which focused on the arrangement of the wall. The numerical and experimental results showed the same trend. The study has demonstrated that the current construction technique can be significantly improved by regularly incorporating through-stones—tie stones that pass through the entire cross-section of the wall—and considering a cross-section with overlap. This approach leads to an increase of up to 50% in lateral strength compared to current practices, verifying the effectiveness of through-stones. The study does not intend to endorse the use of pirca for urban habitation in high seismic sectors. However, these traditional walls can be recommended for slope stability, environmental mitigation, urban agriculture, and protection of natural areas.

Riqueza y distribución de leguminosas en un gradiente ambiental dentro del Área Natural Protegida Altas Cumbres, Tamaulipas, México

Background: Altas Cumbres is a protected natural area located in the center of the state of Tamaulipas, which has not been sufficiently studied. Although legumes are a family well represented in the area, until now, no studies had been carried out to reveal their richness and distribution. Questions: How many and which legume species are found in the study area and how are they distributed along an environmental gradient? Species study: Fabaceae family. Study site and dates: Altas Cumbres, Tamaulipas, Mexico, during 2022 and 2023. Methods: Botanical material was collected and identified using specialized bibliography; Herbarium specimens and online databases were reviewed. An analysis of similarity was carried out with the sites studied, using the Jaccard index to obtain β diversity and observe its distribution. Results: A total of 132 species were obtained, belonging to 57 genera and three subfamilies. The greatest diversity of legumes belonged to the subfamily Papilionoideae (86 species / 37 genera), followed by Caesalpinoideae (41/18) and finally Cercidoideae (5/2). Herbaceous plants were dominant with respect to woody plants. Most species were recorded in an elevation range between 300 and 499 m asl, in submontane scrub and pine-oak forest communities. Conclusions: Altas Cumbres is an important reservoir for legumes from Tamaulipas and Sierra Madre Oriental considering its high richness and endemism (33 species restricted to Mexico).

Analyzing China’s Marine Park Management System Under the Reform of National Institutions

Marine parks (MPs), a kind of multiple-use marine protected area (MPA), have been crucial in coordinating the relationship between marine ecosystem conservation and resource utilization, facilitating coastal sustainable development. However, an effective and sustainable approach to MP management in China is yet to be fully developed. In 2018, the Chinese government inaugurated the 2018 Reform to merge its MPAs and terrestrial protected areas into a new natural protected area (NPA) system under the unified management by the Ministry of Natural Resources. Therefore, it is an opportune moment to summarize management experience and propose new prospects for improving the management of MPs in China. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive review of China’s progress on its MPs and evaluated the management effectiveness, after which we identified the key issues hindering the effective conservation and management of China’s MPs. To address these challenges, we propose targeted strategic recommendations by examining new policy directives relating to the 2018 Reform. The results of this study have valuable theoretical and practical implications for China’s MP management. Furthermore, our findings may provide a potential empirical reference for related management research in other MPs, especially in developing countries.

Development of self-efficacy in high school students through soil analysis in the protected natural area "Estero El Soldado"

Teaching various scientific disciplines involves both hands-on and theoretical methods aimed at sparking students' curiosity in learning concepts. Students enhance their comprehension by actively engaging in direct activities rather than solely relying on explanations provided by teachers. The development of a research project carried out by 12th grade students during the semester allowed them to develop scientific or technological research to understand nature and act on it. The research project involved taking soil samples of natural protected area “Estero El Soldado” and analyzing it using a microscope, increasing student’s self-efficacy using the microscope. Self-efficacy was measured before and after the proposed research project using the General Self-Efficacy Scale instrument (Baessler and Schwarzer, 1996), which consists of 10 items and measures a person's perception when facing a variety of stressful situations. The participation of 43 12th grade students was analyzed. After the completion of the research project students, the results from the pre-test (M = 66.89, SD = 19.52) and post-test (M = 80.34, SD = 19.84) self-efficacy evaluation indicate that carrying out the research project resulted in an improvement in self-efficacy, t(84) = 2.01, p = 0.0008. We can conclude that integrating hands-on research projects like soil analysis using different laboratory equipment boosts 12th-grade students' scientific self-efficacy, as evidenced by improved scores on the General Self-Efficacy Scale. These findings underscore the value of experiential learning in nurturing both scientific skills and confidence in students.

Comunidades Pesqueras Artesanales en la conformación de áreas naturales protegidas en el Golfo de California

Communities' participation in the declaration and management of protected natural areas (ANP) is studied to determine whether their operation meets their inhabitants' requirements and economic needs. The research uses a quantitative approach based on applying a Likert-type survey, which was conducted on 323 fishermen and inhabitants of two fishing communities located in the Gulf of Baja, California, Mexico. The results show that interaction with government authorities is not constant, and the fishermen's opinion was not considered in decision-making, which limits the search for solutions for fishing communities. It is concluded that without the active participation and support of fishermen in the planning and operation of the ANPs, government initiatives for their conservation and good management will have little chance of being effective.

Spatial Analysis of the Ecogeographic Diversity of Wild Creeping Cucumber (Melothria pendula L.) for In Situ and Ex Situ Conservation in Mexico.

Melothria pendula L., a wild relative of cucurbit crops, is also used for food and as a medicinal plant in Mexico. The objective of this study was to ecogeographically characterize the known populations of M. pendula in Mexico, determining its adaptive range and possible sites for in situ and ex situ conservation. To achieve this goal, we compiled a dataset of 1270 occurrences of M. pendula from herbarium and botanical databases and individual observations. Adaptive scenarios were generated through the development of an ecogeographic land characterization (ELC) map, preceded by the identification of abiotic variables influencing the species' distribution. Eleven bioclimatic, edaphic, and geophysical variables were found to be important for the species' distribution. The ELC map obtained contained 21 ecogeographic categories, with 14 exhibiting the presence of M. pendula. By analyzing ecogeographic representativeness, 111 sites of high interest were selected for the efficient collection of M. pendula in Mexico. Eight high-priority hotspots for future in situ conservation of M. pendula were also identified based on their high ecogeographic diversity, with only three of these hotspots located within protected natural areas. In this study, ecogeographic approaches show their potential utility in conservation prioritization when genetic data are scarce, a very common condition in crop wild relatives.