Search

Tropical forest disturbance contributes to global climate change from increased carbon emissions, and causes loss of biodiversity. Thus, identifying its direct causes and underlying drivers are necessary for effective land use, climate change control and conservation strategies. We integrated remote sensing forest cover data from 2000 to 2018 with georeferenced national socioeconomic and field‐collected household data to determine underlying drivers behind forest cover transitions (e.g., deforestation, degradation, and recovery) in the Selva Maya ('Mayan Forest') of southeast Mexico. Spatial and statistical models (multinomial logistic regression, log‐linear regression, and analysis of variance) and social science methods (household surveys and qualitative comparative analysis) were applied to evaluate and identify socioeconomic, institutional, and environmental drivers intervening at landscape and community scales. Forest cover transitions varied geographically, and associated drivers differed by scale of analysis. Using multiple methods improved the understanding of drivers. Population growth, poverty, and roads are major drivers influencing forest cover transitions (e.g., deforestation, degradation, and recovery) in the landscape. Community scale analysis identified more drivers and offered greater detail of causal relationships. Besides population and poverty, less off‐farm employment, agriculture and cattle production, immigrant population, and private property were related to deforestation and degradation. Indigenous populations, forest dependence, off‐farm employment, and common property were associated with forest conservation. Sustainable rural development should include poverty alleviation through diversification of economic activities and increased off‐farm employment opportunities. Conservation measures should pursue the enhancement of forest value for local subsistence and economic benefits by strengthening community forest management and enterprises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A characterization is presented for the sugar agroindustrial zones as regions multi-ethnic groups due to the large indigenous component of the sugarcane harvesting groups from the interior of Mexico, Belize and Guatemala. The study focuses on two transboundary areas: Rio Hondo (Mexico-Belize) and Soconusco (Mexico-Guatemala), within a broad context of labor mobility and cultural diversity. The results are based on systematic field work over several cycles of harvest to the present, and comparative references of the rest of the country collected with qualitative and quantitative techniques. The findings highlight the heterogeneous work profile and a great migratory experience of such a population and aim to rethink the logic of the temporary agricultural work in the Mexico-Central Caribbean connections; as well as the potential of the cultural and economic bonus of indigenous labor in the national harvest, between South-South. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three bacterial strains, GHrC11, GHrC13 and GHrC15, were isolated from an abalone postlarval culture system in a commercial farm at Baja California, México. The strains were phenotypically characterized and sequenced (16S rDNA). Strain GHrC11 was a Gram-positive coccobacillum, while strains GHrC13 and GHrC15 were Gram-negative bacilli. Strain GHrC11 was identified as Exiguobacterium sp. The strains GHrC13 and GHrC15 were identified as Vibrio splendidus. The effects of these strains for the development of early abalone postlarvae (2 days old) were evaluated following a completely randomized design with three replicates using 5-mL-volume Petri dishes as experimental units. The experiment considered two different bacterial concentrations of each strain (10 and 10 cells ml) and two controls (with and without the benthic diatom Navicula incerta). After 10 days of experimentation, the highest mortality (90 ± 5.8 %) and the lowest growth rate (4.1 ± 0.1 μm day) were recorded for the strain GHrC11. In contrast, the lower mortality (16.7 ± 3.3 %) and the highest growth rate (11.2 ± 0.9 μm day) corresponded to the control fed N. incerta. Our results suggest that pathogenic effects of these bacterial strains were stronger than any potential benefits derived from the ingestion of bacteria by early abalone postlarvae. In conclusion, the most pathogenic strain was GHrC11, and the intensity of pathogenicity could be ordered as Exiguobacterium sp. > V. splendidus (C13) > V. splendidus (C15). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study on the histological changes in gill erosion and the role of ostreid herpesvirus 1 (OsHV-1) or a related virus in Crassostrea gigas cultured in Baja California, Mexico. OsHV-1 DNA was detected by in situ hybridization (ISH). There was a 30% gill erosion prevalence in the subjects. Another finding is the increase in hemocyte accumulation when erosion rises. Strain of virus and susceptibility of the host are cited as reasons behind the lack of erosion in other areas where the virus has been studied.

[Display omitted] • The Mexican fermented beverages have microbiological, nutritional and medicinal potential. • The Mexican fermented beverages contain an extensive range of microbial community associated. • The bioactive compounds associated are polypheols, flavonoids, between others. • The leading microorganisms present are: yeasts, AAB, LAB, fungi, and others. In Mexico, close to 200 fermented products have been described, of which, approximately 20 are beverages. They were obtained through rustic and ancestral fermentation methods by different indigenous Mexican communities; most of them were used in ceremonies, agricultural work, and other occasions. For their elaboration, different substrates obtained from plants are used, where uncontrolled and low-scale spontaneous anaerobic fermentation occurs. In Mexico, some of these products are considered as nutritional sources and functional beverages; the study of those products has revealed the presence of multiple compounds of biological importance. Additionally, elder generations attribute healing properties against diverse illnesses to these beverages. The aim of this review is to highlight the available information on twelve traditional Mexican fermented beverages, their traditional uses, and their fermentation processes along with toxicological, chemical, nutritional, and functional studies as seen from different areas of investigation. In the literature, pulque, cocoa, and pozol were the beverages with the greatest amount of described health properties; sendechó and guarapo were less characterized. Polyphenols, gallic and ferulic acid, anthocyanins and saponins were the most abundant molecules in all beverages. Finally, it is important to continue this research in order to determine the microorganisms that are involved in the fermentation process, as well as the organoleptic and beneficial properties they lend to the traditional Mexican fermented beverages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]