Beyond deforestation: Land cover transitions in Mexico

Bonilla‐Moheno, Martha; Aide, T. Mitchell

doi:10.1016/j.agsy.2019.102734

Cited by 62 publications

(32 citation statements)

References 50 publications

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“…In 2011, 21% of Latin America lived in rural areas, where livestock represents food sources and means to improve their economic and social situation [ 4 ]. In Mexico, most cattle grazing occurs in tropical regions including the state of Yucatan, which converted 310,000 ha of tropical forest to pastures between 2001 and 2014 [ 5 ]. Therefore, it is necessary to find new strategies to guarantee food security in rural areas, methods to increase animal production, and strategies to mitigate climate change.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing Sustainability in Cattle Silvopastoral Systems in the Mexican Tropics Using the SAFA Framework

Pérez-Lombardini

Mancera

Suzán

et al. 2021

Animals

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The sub-humid native rainforest in Yucatan is one of the most endangered in Mexico. Cattle production is one of the main causes of land use change and silvopastoral systems are a feasible alternative. This work compares the sustainable performance of silvopastoral (native and intensive) and monoculture cattle farms in the state of Yucatan using the Sustainability Assessment for Food and Agriculture (SAFA) framework. Questionnaires and semi-structured interviews were applied in 9 farms. Responses were fed to the SAFA Tool to obtain sustainability polygons. Percentages of SAFA themes positively and negatively valuated were calculated. Native farms had positive ratings for Participation, Land, Biodiversity and Cultural Diversity, whereas intensive excelled on Holistic Management. Native farms had limited ratings for Decent Livelihood. Native farms (and one intensive silvopastoral farm) had the highest percentages of themes positively valuated compared to monocultures (and one intensive silvopastoral farm), which scored the lowest. Positive evaluations identified native systems as an option for sustainable production; however, areas of opportunity in all farms were discovered. This is the first comparative study using SAFA to evaluate differences in farming systems in the Mexican tropics, providing valuable information to generate policies and incentives on sustainable livestock production, as well as for improving evaluation tools for local application.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing Sustainability in Cattle Silvopastoral Systems in the Mexican Tropics Using the SAFA Framework

Pérez-Lombardini

Mancera

Suzán

et al. 2021

Animals

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“…The typical land use cycle in the tropics starts with deforestation of mature or secondary forests, frequently with the use of fire, to the establishment of pastures or croplands (Thomaz, 2013;Mesquita et al, 2015;Barlow et al, 2020;Schmidt and Eloy, 2020). Indeed, livestock raising and agriculture are the most important drivers of land cover change in Latin America (Armenteras et al, 2017;Curtis et al, 2018;Bonilla-Moheno and Aide, 2020). The extent and consequences of such process are well-illustrated by the recent and drastic increase in fires and deforestation in Brazil, especially in the Amazon (Barlow et al, 2020;Escobar, 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biophysical and Socioeconomic Factors Associated to Deforestation and Forest Recovery in Brazilian Tropical Dry Forests

Espírito-Santo

Rocha

Leite

et al. 2020

Front. For. Glob. Change

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The determination of land cover changes (LCCs) and their association to biophysical and socioeconomic factors is vital to support government policies toward the sustainable use of natural resources. The present study aimed to quantify deforestation, forest recovery and net cover change in tropical dry forests (TDFs) in Brazil from 2007 to 2016, and investigate how they are associated to biophysical and socioeconomic factors. We also assessed the effects of LCC variables in human welfare indicators. For this purpose, we used MODIS imagery to calculate TDF gross loss (deforestation), gross gain (forest recovery) and net cover change (the balance between deforestation and forest recovery) for 294 counties in three Brazilian states (Minas Gerais, Bahia, and Piauí). We obtained seven factors potentially associated to LCC at the county level: total county area, road density, humidity index, slope, elevation, and % change in human population and in cattle density. From 2007 to 2016, TDF cover increased from 76,693 to 80,964 km2 (+5.6%). This positive net change resulted from a remarkable forest recovery of 19,018 km2 (24.8%), offsetting a large deforested area (14,748 km2; 19.2%). Practically all these cover changes were a consequence of transitions from TDF to pastures and vice-versa, highlighting the importance of developing sustainable policies for cattle raising in TDF regions. Each LCC variable was associated to different set of factors, but two biophysical variables were significantly associated both to TDF area gained and lost per county: county area (positively) and slope (negatively), indicating that large and flat counties have very dynamic LCCs. The TDF net area change was only associated (negatively) to the humidity index, reflecting an increase in TDF cover in more arid counties. The net increase in Brazilian TDF area is likely a result from an interplay of biophysical and socioeconomic factors that reduced deforestation and caused pasture abandonment. Although the ecological integrity and permanence of secondary TDFs need further investigation, the recovery of this semi-arid ecosystem must be valued and accounted for in the national forest restoration programs, as it would significantly help achieving the goals established in the Bonn agreement and the Atlantic Rain Forest pact.

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“…El cambio de uso de suelo ha mostrado gran impacto en la biodiversidad a nivel mundial (Sánchez-Cordero et al 2004;Daskalova et al 2020). Aunque en los últimos años en México es posible que se esté deteniendo el cambio de uso de suelo debido a la deforestación, siguen ocurriendo otras transiciones mayores como la transformación hacia áreas urbanas (Moreno-Sánchez et al 2017;Gao et al 2018;Bonilla-Moheno y Aide, 2020). En particular, Aguilar-Tomasini et al (2020) encontraron que la mayoría de las áreas naturales protegidas de la FVT han sido poco efectivas para detener el CUS.…”

Section: Discussionunclassified

Estructura areográfica y efectos del cambio de uso de suelo en especies endémicas de la Faja Volcánica Transmexicana

Escalante

Aguilar-Ortega

2021

dugesiana

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Los estudios sobre las áreas de distribución geográfica (ADG) proporcionan información sobre cómo se establecen las especies en el espacio y tiempo, y los efectos del cambio de uso de suelo sobre los patrones geográficos de la biodiversidad. En la provincia biogeográfica de la Faja Volcánica Transmexicana (FVT) habita un alto número de especies endémicas; sin embargo, presenta altas tasas de deforestación. En el presente trabajo: (a) se describen cuantitativa y cualitativamente las ADG histórica de 167 especies de anfibios, aves, insectos, mamíferos y plantas endémicas de la FVT, y (b) se analiza el efecto del cambio de uso de suelo actual en esas distribuciones geográficas. En general, la clase Mammalia tuvo las mayores superficies ocupadas, el promedio más alto de las tres magnitudes y fue principalmente de distribución continental. Por otro lado, la mayoría de las especies fueron transicionales y discontinuas. Considerando el cambio en el uso del suelo, el 85% de las especies tuvo cambios en sus ADG históricas, de las que dos tercios tuvieron una pérdida mayor al 50%. Los grupos taxonómicos más afectados por pérdida total de su ADG histórica, fueron Insecta y Amphibia. La mayoría de las especies ocuparon altitudes elevadas y por lo tanto, los rangos altitudinales con mayor de superficie perdida fueron entre los 1,500 y 3,000 msnm. La variabilidad en el comportamiento distribucional de las especies sugiere patrones internos y diferenciados en la FVT, y mayor complejidad biológica, geológica y evolutiva de la esperada, con múltiples relaciones de la FVT con las provincias adyacentes. Los estudios areográficos pueden constituir un punto de partida para la preservación de áreas no transformadas, que cumpla el objetivo de prevenir la posible extirpación de las especies.

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Beyond deforestation: Land cover transitions in Mexico

Cited by 62 publications

References 50 publications

Assessing Sustainability in Cattle Silvopastoral Systems in the Mexican Tropics Using the SAFA Framework

Assessing Sustainability in Cattle Silvopastoral Systems in the Mexican Tropics Using the SAFA Framework

Biophysical and Socioeconomic Factors Associated to Deforestation and Forest Recovery in Brazilian Tropical Dry Forests

Estructura areográfica y efectos del cambio de uso de suelo en especies endémicas de la Faja Volcánica Transmexicana

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