Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve Research Articles

Evaluación de las prácticas de conservación de suelo en la Subcuenca Presa Jalpan, Querétaro, México

This paper's main objective is to evaluate water erosion, and its effect on soil management and conservation practices in the subbasin Jalpan Dam, located at The Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve in the State of Queretaro in northern Mexico. This paper was elaborated in four stages: 1) Analysis of soil conservation practices at the study area, with information collected through semi-structured interviews and field verification; 2) Measurement of the effect in soil’s conservation practices on soil’s erodibility, by taking soil samples and in situ measurements on paired plots; 3) Estimation of water erosion and identification of priority areas for its management, by applying the USLE model of Wischmeier and Smith (1978) and the use of GIS (Geographic Information Systems); 4) Estimation of sediment contribution to the Jalpan dam, using the methodology of Aveldaño et al. (1994). As a result, 40 polygons with soil’s conservation practices were located within the Jalpan Dam sub-basin, distributed mainly in the high functional zone. 22 of the 40 polygons were visited, in which 6 types of practices were spotted: reforestations with pine-cedar, maguey lines, agricultural terraces, stone barriers, stone dams and brushwood check dams. The results show deterioration on the structures, more than 30% of them require maintenance and 20% are clogged. Vegetative practices have had little success, reflected in low plant densities and low survival. As a result of the conservation practices evaluations in soil’s erodibility, it was found that in 8 of the 9 sites evaluated, the practices decreased the susceptibility of the soil to erode. It is important to establish systematic supervising mechanisms to ensure proper evaluation of every soil conservation practice condition and function.

Bacterial diversity of an acid mine drainage beside the Xichú River (Mexico) accessed by culture-dependent and culture-independent approaches.

Xichú River is a Mexican river located in an environmental preservation area called Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve. Around it, there are tons of abandoned mine residues that represent a serious environmental issue. Sediment samples of Xichú River, visibly contaminated by flows of an acid mine drainage, were collected to study their prokaryotic diversity. The study was based on both cultural and non-cultural approaches. The analysis of total 16S rRNA gene by MiSEQ sequencing allowed to identify 182 Operational Taxonomic Units. The community was dominated by Pseudomonadota, Bacteroidota, "Desulfobacterota" and Acidobacteriota (27, 21, 19 and 16%, respectively). Different culture conditions were used focusing on the isolation of anaerobic bacteria, including sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) and arsenate-reducing bacteria (ARB). Finally, 16 strains were isolated. Among them, 12 were phylogenetically identified, with two strains being SRB, belonging to the genus Solidesulfovibrio ("Desulfobacterota"), while ten are ARB belonging to the genera Azospira (Pseudomonadota), Peribacillus (Bacillota), Raineyella and Propionicimonas (Actinomycetota). The isolate representative of Raineyella genus probably corresponds to a new species, which, besides arsenate, also reduces nitrate, nitrite, and fumarate.

The invasive Australian redclaw crayfish Cherax quadricarinatus Von Martens, 1868: a new threat for biodiversity in the Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve, Central Mexican Plateau

The invasive Australian redclaw crayfish Cherax quadricarinatus Von Martens, 1868: a new threat for biodiversity in the Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve, Central Mexican Plateau

El búho cara oscura (Asio stygius), nuevo registro para la avifauna del estado de Querétaro, México

Reportamos el primer registro del búho cara oscura (Asio stygius) para el estado de Querétaro. El registro corresponde a un individuo que fue herido y decomisado en el municipio de Landa de Matamoros, en el interior de la Reserva de la Biosfera Sierra Gorda. Esta observación refuerza la hipótesis de una distribución extendida de A. stygius a través de la parte septentrional de la Sierra Madre Oriental.

A new species of Procambarus (Decapoda, Cambaridae) from the State of Querétaro, Mexico.

With a Nearctic distribution, the family Cambaridae harbors a high species richness in Mexico, which is also evident along the Pánuco River catchment. A series of surveys carried on in five populations from the Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve in the State of Querétaro resulted in localizing a putative new species for science. A molecular phylogenetic study and species delimitation analyses including all the known Procambarus species from the Pánuco River catchment were conducted based on three mitochondrial genes (16S rDNA, 12S rDNA, and COI; 2,462 bp in total). Phylogeny recovered all species as monophyletic, including the populations under study. All delimitation results based on barcoding, ABGD, GMYC, bPTP, and gonopod differentiation agree in the recognition of a new taxon, to which the name Procambarus xihuisp. nov. is given, and its diagnosis and description are provided. The new species can be distinguished from the remaining species in the genus, among other characters, by a unique configuration of the terminal elements of the first pleopod of form I male, which includes a central projection lamellate, hood-like, forming a concave blade-like structure mesially directed, as well as a caudal process crest-like, mesiodistally directed, forming a lateral side of the concavity.

Molecular Phylogenetics and Morphometrics Reveal a New Endemic Jumping Pitviper (Serpentes: Viperidae: Metlapilcoatlus) from the Sierra Madre Oriental of Mexico

The jumping pitvipers of the genus Metlapilcoatlus are generally associated with montane environments and are widely distributed from central and southern Mexico to Panama. In this study, we analyzed the phylogenetic position and compared the morphology of a population from the Sierra Madre Oriental, within the Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve, to other species of jumping pitvipers. We implemented two mtDNA gene fragments (cyt b and ND4) of 50 specimens of the five Metlapilcoatlus species for phylogenetic reconstruction using Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood. We used a linear discriminant analysis and comparative statistics of external and hemipenial characters to assess the morphological differences among Metlapilcoatlus lineages. Our analyses support a strong genetic and morphological distinction of Metlapilcoatlus nummifer populations established to the north of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt (Hidalgo, Northern Veracruz, and Querétaro) from other Metlapilcoatlus taxa. Based on this evidence we describe the populations from the north as a new species.

Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve, Querétaro, Mexico: An Example of Sustainable Tourism

The importance of tourism in the economy and development, from countries worldwide and specifically to Mexico, makes it increasingly necessary to carry out tourism activities and create sustainable policies that reduce the impacts of the mass movement of tourists. The work aims to present the different actions carried out in the Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve, Querétaro, Mexico that allow it to offer ecotourism activities and develop sustainable projects, which benefit the surrounding communities and allows the tourist a low impact approach with nature. Promoting a sustainable entrepreneurship model by consolidating economic development with biodiversity conservation.

Photographic Records Confirming the Presence of Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo ssp.) in the Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve of Guanajuato, Mexico

The Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo sspp.) is a galliform historically distributed throughout the Sierra Madre Occidental, Sierra Madre Oriental, and central Mexico. However, it is currently extirpated from much of its original range. Herein, we report the presence of Wild Turkey in temperate forests of the Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve of Guanajuato (SGBRG). We also highlight the importance of our observations in the context of possible natural dispersal and potential range recovery of suitable areas within the historical range in the interior of Guanajuato State. As a result of a wildlife survey program in the SGBRG, a set of 8 photographic records provided evidence of 4 females, 3 males, and 1 juvenile. These records are encouraging, since the species was believed to be extirpated from the wild in this state.

A Wandering Black Bear (Ursus americanus, Pallas 1780) in the Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve, Queretaro

Black bear distribution and dispersal in Mexico are uncertain. Here we document the occurrence of a black bear in the Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve in the Mexican State of Queretaro. We assessed its population membership using microsatellites genetic markers and conclude the individual came from the Nuevo Leon population, which is approximately 200 km north of the study area.

Reconstrucción de la precipitación histórica (1877-2014) para el suroeste de la Reserva de la Biosfera Sierra Gorda, Querétaro, México

Introduction: Historical analysis of climate variability represents a first approach to know the recurrence of events such as droughts and floods, as well as to infer possible climate trends. This study is the first historical analysis in the Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve (SGBR). Objectives: To develop dendrochronological series with the ring width of Pinus greggii Engelm. ex Parl. and P. montezumae Lamb., determine their potential to reconstruct rainfall variability, and reconstruct, minimally, precipitation variability and its relationship with the El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) for the last century. Materials and methods: In the southwest of the SGBR, 87 samples were extracted from 29 trees, of which 15 (45 rays) corresponded to P. greggii and 14 (42 rays) to P. montezumae. The growths were dated using dendrochronological techniques. Results and discussion: The generated chronology, composed of 138 years (1877-2014), was significantly correlated (P < 0.01) with the January-May rainfall. The reconstruction of the winter- spring seasonal precipitation variability indicates that there is interannual and interdecadal variation. Four severe droughts were identified (1887, 1951-1956, 1969-1972 and 2012) and two periods with excellent precipitation (1962-1967 and 1983-1993). The severest droughts in the southwest of the SGBR synchronize with extreme events reconstructed for the north of the country with a 50-year recurrence interval. Conclusion: Pinus greggii and P. montezumae responded significantly to the precipitation of the winter-spring period, which allowed the reconstruction of rainfall variability over a period of 138 years. Variability has been significantly modulated by ENSO.

Local Perspectives on Conflicts with Wildlife and Their Management in the Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve, Mexico

Human-wildlife conflict (HWC) is a widespread issue of increasing concern to conservationists, as it impacts people's lives and livelihoods and reduces their tolerance to the species concerned. HWC is often interpreted as a result of people encroaching upon and destroying natural habitats, but some incidents could be linked to economically driven emigration that results in depopulation and institutional and cultural disruption. Here we use an ethnobiological approach to gain insights on HWC dynamics from a case study in Mexico, where emigration is common in rural areas. We carried out a five-year study of HWC in the Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve, a biodiversity-rich protected area in Mexico that also supports a human population of nearly 100,000 mostly poor and marginalized people. We found that villagers reported conflict incidents involving 25 terrestrial vertebrate species, contradicting the original self-perception that HWC mostly involved cattle ranchers and a few large carnivore species. As a response, we develop a multi-layered assessment of villagers' perspectives, emotions, and attitudes towards wildlife based on the local roles of gender, probability of encountering wildlife, and the conflicting moral beliefs and switching ethical responses of people with different cultural and economic backgrounds. Our assessment identifies the need for pluralistic approaches to enhance the sustainable use and management of wildlife in the Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve.

Extensión del rango de la paloma cabeza ploma (Leptotila plumbeiceps) en la Reserva de la Biosfera Sierra Gorda de Guanajuato, México

Registramos por primera vez a la paloma cabeza ploma (Leptotila plumbeiceps) en la Reserva de la Biosfera Sierra Gorda de Guanajuato (RBSGG), estado de Guanajuato. Entre septiembre y octubre de 2016 obtuvimos fotografías de individuos de esta especie en los márgenes del río Manzanares, en el municipio de Victoria, Guanajuato. La notoriedad de nuestro registro radica en que la presencia de dicha especie en la RBSGG reafirma la existencia de un componente faunístico tropical a subtropical asociado a los ríos Manzanares y Santa María, que está presente en el área de transición del Altiplano Mexicano y la Sierra Madre Oriental situada en la reserva.

Mamíferos medianos y grandes del municipio de Victoria, Reserva de la Biosfera Sierra Gorda Guanajuato, México

La conservación de los mamíferos en el centro de México es de vital importancia debido al papel funcional que realizan en los ecosistemas. El objetivo de este estudio es determinar la riqueza y abundancia de los mamíferos medianos y grandes en diferentes tipos de vegetación del municipio de Victoria, Guanajuato. Entre el 2007 y 2013, cinco localidades del municipio fueron muestreadas mediante la colocación de cámaras trampa sobre senderos utilizados por la fauna. Con un esfuerzo de muestreo de 9803 días-trampa registramos 18 especies de mamíferos medianos y grandes pertenecientes a seis órdenes, destacando la presencia de tres especies de felinos (lince, puma y jaguarundi). El bosque de pino-encino concentró la mayor riqueza con 17 especies, mientras que en el matorral submontano se registraron 16 especies. Estos resultados aumentan nuestra comprensión sobre los patrones regionales de riqueza y distribución de los mamíferos en zonas del centro de México, y son particularmente relevantes para el diseño de planes de manejo de la Reserva de la Biosfera Sierra Gorda Guanajuato.

La Guacamaya verde (Ara militaris) en la Sierra Gorda de Guanajuato, México.

I report a new displacement route of the Military macaw (Ara militaris) population located in Sotano del Barro (Querétaro) to the northeastern Guanajuato. This record suggests that Military macaw perform seasonal movements in search of foraging areas between the Sotano del Barro in Xichú (Guanajuato), my study area. Therefore, the presence of Military macaw in the region would have direct implications for policy change in land use, which directly affects the land management of the Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve.

Effects of habitat suitability and minimum patch size thresholds on the assessment of landscape connectivity for jaguars in the Sierra Gorda, Mexico

Maintaining habitat and its connectivity is a major conservation goal, especially for large carnivores. Assessments of habitat connectivity are typically based on the output of habitat suitability models to first map potential habitat, and then identify where corridors exist. This requires separating habitat from non- habitat, thus one must choose specific thresholds for both habitat suitability and the minimum patch size that can be occupied. The selection of these thresholds is often arbitrary, and the effects of threshold choice on assessments of connectivity are largely unknown. We sought to quantify how habitat-suitability and patch-size thresholds influence connectivity assessments for jaguars (Panthera onca) in the Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve in central Mexico. We modeled potential habitat for jaguars using the species distribution modeling algorithm Maxent, and assessed potential habitat connectivity with the landscape connectivity software Conefor Sensinode. We repeated these analyses for 45 combinations of habitat suitability based thresholds and minimum patch sizes. Our results indicated that the thresholds influenced connectivity assessments greatly, and different combinations of the two thresholds yielded vastly different map configurations of suitable habitat for jaguars. We developed an approach to identify the pair of thresholds that best matched the jaguar occurrence points based on the connectivity scores. Among the combinations that we tested, a threshold of 0.3 for habitat suitability and 2km2 for minimum patch size produced the best fit (area under the curve=0.9). Surprisingly, we found low suitable habitat for jaguars in most of the core areas of the reserve according to our best potential habitat model, but highly suitable areas in the buffer zones and just outside of the reserve. We conclude that the best and most connected potential areas for jaguar habitat are in the central eastern part of the Sierra Gorda. More broadly, landscape connectivity analyses appears to be highly sensitive to the thresholds used to identify suitable habitat, and we recommend conducting sensitivity analyses as introduced here to identify the optimal combination of thresholds.

Registro del mirlo pinto (Ridgwayia pinicola) en el estado de Querétaro, México

Reportamos el primer registro formal del mirlo pinto (Ridgwayia pinicola) para el estado de Querétaro, México, en un bosque deencino-pino al oeste de la Reserva de la Biosfera Sierra Gorda. Este reporte es uno de los pocos registrados en la Sierra MadreOriental, los que en conjunto confirman que es una especie residente en esta zona, aunque con baja abundancia.

A new species of Xenosaurus (Squamata: Xenosauridae) from the Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve of Querétaro, Mexico

A new species of Xenosaurus from the Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve of northeastern Querétaro, Mexico, is described. The new species differs from all of the other described species of the genus by having usually 2 postrostral scales on each side of the midline (in 84.6% of the specimens, n=26); largest supraoculars that are not, or only slightly, wider than long; postorbital and zygomatic ridges that are widely separated from each other by an intervening row of scales; labiomental rows that usually extend posteriorly from the second or third chinshield (in 92.3% of the specimens, n=26); 23–26 lamellae under the fourth toe (x¯=24.3, n=25); a venter that is immaculate or with only diffuse, scattered dark specks on the sides, and a postorbital region rounded, lacking a canthus temporalis demarcated by enlarged or well-defined scales. The new species inhabits oak forest and a transitional zone between oak forest and subperennial tropical forest at approximately 1 100–1 400m of elevation. The new species is morphologically most similar to X. platyceps from Tamaulipas, but does not appear to be its sister taxon.

Molecular phylogeny and paclitaxel screening of fungal endophytes from Taxus globosa

We studied the endophytic mycoflora associated with Taxus globosa, the Mexican yew. The study localities; Las Avispas (LA), San Gaspar (SG), and La Mina (LM) were three segments of cloud forest within the range of Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve, México. Overall, 245 endophytes were isolated and 105 representative Ascomycota (morphotaxons) were chosen for phylogenetic and genotypic characterization. Maximum likelihood analyses of large subunit of ribosomal RNA (LSU) rDNA showed well-supported clades of Dothideomycetes, Eurotiomycetes, Leotiomycetes, Pezizomycetes, and Sordariomycetes. Analyses of ITS rDNA groups showed 57 genotypes (95 % sequence similarity), in general consistent with the phylogenetically delimitated taxa based on LSU rDNA sequences. The endophyte diversity measured by Fisher’s α, Shanonn, and Simpson indices was ca. three-fold and ca. two-fold greater in LM than in LA and SG respectively. A screening for paclitaxel using a competitive inhibition enzyme immunoassay showed 16 positive isolates producing between 65 and 250 ng l −1. The isolates included Acremonium, Botryosphaeria, Fusarium, Gyromitra, Nigrospora, Penicillium, three novel Pleosporales, and Xylaria.

Liquid Assets. The Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve in central Mexico is a water factory. Can an ambitious federal program convince water users to foot the bill for the hydrological services?

Liquid Assets. The Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve in central Mexico is a water factory. Can an ambitious federal program convince water users to foot the bill for the hydrological services?

El bosque mesófilo de montaña en el municipio de Landa de Matamoros, Querétaro, México

Se realizó un estudio florístico del bosque mesófilo de montaña localizado en el extremo oriental del municipio de Landa de Matamoros, Querétaro; el área está enclavada en la Sierra Madre Oriental y queda incluida en la Reserva de la Biosfera de la Sierra Gorda. En este municipio el bosque mesófilo se encuentra muy fragmentado, pero está más conservado principalmente en las localidades de Camarones, Neblinas, La Yesca y La Joya del Hielo. Se proporciona un listado florístico de las plantas vasculares, compuesto por 130 familias, 465 géneros y 774 especies. Se elaboró un mapa con la distribución de este tipo de vegetación en la región.