Due to progressive urban development along the Mexican Caribbean coastline, it is crucial to gauge the impact of anthropogenic contamination of marine ecosystems through biomonitoring procedures.In the current study, we quantified the concentration of 49 inorganic elements in the blood and scute tissues of clinically healthy nesting hawksbill sea turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata). The elements were classified into four groups: Group A: essential mineral elements with toxic potential; Group B: non-essential elements with high toxicity; Group C: toxic non-essential minority elements and Trace Elements (TE); and Group D: rare-earth elements (REE) and other TE. Almost all the samples in both tissues showed perceptible levels of all the quantified elements. The only element identified with a correlation between blood and scute was arsenic (As), which could indicate a fast excretion through this type of keratinized tissue. The bio-accumulation of inorganic elements is a complex process, requiring the simultaneous examination of different tissues to evaluate the exposure. Our study reinforces the usefulness of scute tissue as a non-invasive sampling technique for the evaluation of persistent pollutants in marine turtles.
A supporting study was developed to identify the priority elements for conservation in the region called “Sierra de San Miguelito” (SSM), in the San Luis Potosi State (SLP), Mexico, with the purpose of establishing a federal protected natural area (PNA). The methodological approach used was the integral-spatial analysis applied in territorial planning processes. The study showed that the forests, xerophilous scrubland, and natural grasslands of the SSM present a high biodiversity, an abundance of endemism (27% of species are endemic to the country, n = 285), and protected species (5% of reported species). In addition, 32.74% of vertebrates and 18.32% of flora reported for SLP status is present in SSM, with an area that represents only 1.79% of the state territory. As a result of the study, an area of 109,638.95 ha was proposed to be declared a federally PNA. The area provides environmental services that favor the San Luis Potosí city (SLPc) and the surrounding population; therefore, its conservation will promote the preservation of natural, cultural, and landscape heritage, being a transversal axis for sustainable development in its area of influence. The result was the basis for starting the negotiation process, developed in 2021, for the creation of the PNA.
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