Habitat loss and subsistence hunting are two of the main activities that affect wildlife in frontier areas. We compared subsistence hunting patterns in four villages with different ethnic composition and degree of habitat disturbance in the vicinity of Calakmul Biosphere Reserve, Campeche, Mexico. We also compared differences between some of these villages in harvest composition and prey availability to determine hunting preferences. We used a Landsat TM satellite image to analyze the degree of disturbance around the villages. We conducted periodic surveys of subsistence hunting and prey availability. Wildlife availability was assessed monthly on nine transects (3000 m) established in the vicinity of three villages. The relative amount of disturbed habitat was smaller in an indigenous Maya village (IV) and larger in a mestizo village (MV). The two mixed-composition villages (MCVs) had intermediate levels of disturbance. Ten species, four large and six small, of birds and mammals accounted for 97% of the hunting records. Hunting was more intense in IV and less intense in MCV1. The three village types had different hunting preferences. The habitat-mosaic composition in the vicinity of the villages influenced prey availability and subsistence-hunting preferences. Changes in the habitat mosaic were caused by the size of the holding and by ethnic composition. In spite of longer settlement time, the habitat mosaic in the vicinity of IV was less transformed than that of the other sites. Their larger holding size and greater diversity of economic activities may explain why the Mayas at IV have transformed the landscape less than the other groups and can hunt more and larger prey.El Mosaico de Hábitats, la Disponibilidad de Presas y la Cacería en la Selva Tropical de Calakmul, México Resumen: La pérdida de hábitat y la cacería de subsistencia son dos de las principales actividades humanas que tienen un efecto negativo sobre la fauna en las fronteras de la colonización. En el presente estudio comparamos los patrones de cacería de subsistencia en cuatro poblados con diferente composición étnica y diferente grado de perturbación del hábitat en los alrededores de la Reserva de la Biosfera de Calakmul en Campeche, México. Entre algunos de estos poblados, también comparamos las diferencias en la composición de la caza y la disponibilidad de presas para determinar preferencias. Utilizamos imágenes de satélite Landsat TM para analizar el grado de perturbación alrededor de los poblados. Llevamos a cabo registros de la cacería de subsistencia y de la disponibilidad de las presas. La disponibilidad de las presas se evaluó mensualmente en nueve transectos de 3000 m cada uno, establecidos en la cercanía de tres poblados. Comparativamente, el área de hábitat perturbado fue menor en la comunidad con población indígena maya (IV) y mayor en la comunidad con población mestiza (MV). Los dos poblados con composición poblacional mixta (MVC1 y MVC2) presentaron niveles intermedios de perturbación. Diez especies (4 grandes y 6 pequeñas) de aves...

The Calakmul region, at the center of the Yucatan peninsula, contains the largest forested area of the Mexican tropics. Our objective is to provide the classification, description and spatial distribution of the plant communities of Calakmul region. In spite of the relatively lack of topographic features there is large spatial heterogeneity in the vegetation. Five plant associations are underlined because of their regional, national and world relevance: guayacán forest (Guaiacum sanctum), jobillo forest (Astronium graveolens), low deciduous forest, tall forest and mixed seasonally flooded forest. We discuss the main factors influencing the vegetation, including rainfall gradients, soil development, natural disturbances and anthropogenic factors. This study underscores the importance of using vegetation classification with enough detail to assess the representation and effectiveness of natural protected areas.

SUMMARYPaying landowners to conserve forests is a promising new strategy to protect biodiversity and ecosystem services. However to succeed with this approach, programme managers need reliable monitoring data to make informed payment decisions. This includes withholding payment from landowners who do not meet conservation objectives. The monitoring method used for the Monarch Butterfly Conservation Fund compared aerial photographs and conducted field sampling to identify forest changes. The comparison of aerial photographs showed that 161 hectares of forest were degraded in the central core zone of the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve in Mexico between 2001 and 2003. As a result, payment was withheld from one of 13 landowners. Analysis of high resolution (0.6 m) digital aerial photographs did not detect finer scale changes, despite obtaining an average pixel resolution 1000 times greater than Landsat satellite imagery. This suggests that current payment for ecosystem services programmes are underestimating environmental change and overpaying non-compliant participants. In addition, selecting a decision rule to enforce payment conditionality raised new questions about how much ecosystem degradation should be permitted before withholding payment. Sound decisions about withholding payment cannot be developed until the marginal value of ecosystem services is better understood. Until then, payment thresholds can be based on specific policy objectives.

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Habitat loss and subsistence hunting are two of the main activities that affect wildlife in frontier areas. We compared subsistence hunting patterns in four villages with different ethnic composition and degree of habitat disturbance in the vicinity of Calakmul Biosphere Reserve, Campeche, Mexico. We also compared differences between some of these villages in harvest composition and prey availability to determine hunting preferences. We used a Landsat TM satellite image to analyze the degree of disturbance around the villages. We conducted periodic surveys of subsistence hunting and prey availability. Wildlife availability was assessed monthly on nine transects (3000 m) established in the vicinity of three villages. The relative amount of disturbed habitat was smaller in an indigenous Maya village (IV) and larger in a mestizo village (MV). The two mixed-composition villages (MCVs) had intermediate levels of disturbance. Ten species, four large and six small, of birds and mammals accounted for 97% of the hunting records. Hunting was more intense in IV and less intense in MCV1. The three village types had different hunting preferences. The habitat-mosaic composition in the vicinity of the villages influenced prey availability and subsistence-hunting preferences. Changes in the habitat mosaic were caused by the size of the holding and by ethnic composition. In spite of longer settlement time, the habitat mosaic in the vicinity of IV was less transformed than that of the other sites. Their larger holding size and greater diversity of economic activities may explain why the Mayas at IV have transformed the landscape less than the other groups and can hunt more and larger prey.El Mosaico de Hábitats, la Disponibilidad de Presas y la Cacería en la Selva Tropical de Calakmul, México Resumen: La pérdida de hábitat y la cacería de subsistencia son dos de las principales actividades humanas que tienen un efecto negativo sobre la fauna en las fronteras de la colonización. En el presente estudio comparamos los patrones de cacería de subsistencia en cuatro poblados con diferente composición étnica y diferente grado de perturbación del hábitat en los alrededores de la Reserva de la Biosfera de Calakmul en Campeche, México. Entre algunos de estos poblados, también comparamos las diferencias en la composición de la caza y la disponibilidad de presas para determinar preferencias. Utilizamos imágenes de satélite Landsat TM para analizar el grado de perturbación alrededor de los poblados. Llevamos a cabo registros de la cacería de subsistencia y de la disponibilidad de las presas. La disponibilidad de las presas se evaluó mensualmente en nueve transectos de 3000 m cada uno, establecidos en la cercanía de tres poblados. Comparativamente, el área de hábitat perturbado fue menor en la comunidad con población indígena maya (IV) y mayor en la comunidad con población mestiza (MV). Los dos poblados con composición poblacional mixta (MVC1 y MVC2) presentaron niveles intermedios de perturbación. Diez especies (4 grandes y 6 pequeñas) de aves...

Resource management is undergoing a shift in paradigms La gestion des resources connait actuellement un changement de

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Mammals of Zoque Forest, Mexico: richness, use and conservation. Zoque Forest is one of the richest and threatened regions in Southeastern Mexico, and for which few studies on mammal biology and use are available. Here we analyzed the conservation status of mammalian species according to Mexican and international laws, with an updated checklist of mammals in this forest, and some information on their use by some rural communities. Basic information was obtained from national and international collections and publications. A total of 42 fieldtrips, that followed conventional techniques, were conducted from 2003 through 2010, and some questionnaires to local hunters were applied. The mammalian fauna found in the area was composed of 149 species belonging to 99 genera and 30 families; these results support that the Zoque Forest is the richest in the number of mammalian species in Mexico. A total of 35 species were considered at risk by the Mexican National Law NOM-059-SEMARNAT-2010, and 21 species were found to be registered in the IUCN Red List or in CITES. Of the 40 species included in any of the lists, only the Baird's tapir, jaguar and white-lipped peccary were included in all three lists and 14 species were shared by the two of them. The main uses of mammals in order of importance are: 1) bushmeat, 2) pets, 3) skins, and 4) traditional medicine. Subsistence hunting and trade are unofficially allowed for farmers in this area. As for now, the region has healthy populations of a large number of mammals even though they have been used by local residents. However, since a considerable number of these species are listed under some criterion of threat, local authorities are called for more control. Rev. Biol. Trop. 60 (2): 781-797. Epub 2012 June 01.