Biodiversity
National
Mexico
Name of Assessment
Natural capital of Mexico: Current knowledge of biodiversity
Full Reference
Conabio. 2008. Capital natural de México, vol. I: Conocimiento actual de la biodiversidad. Comisión
Nacional para el Conocimiento y Uso de la Biodiversidad, México
URL
http://www.biodiversidad.gob.mx/pais/conocimientoActual.html
Country
Mexico
Justification/Context of the Assessment
Mexico is considered as mega diverse country, in particular Mexican marine ecosystem is classified
in agreement to life zones as pelagic (associated to the water column) and benthonic (associated
to marine bottom), relating with biotypes (bottoms and sandy littorals, rocky, etc.) and with
biocoenosis characteristics (coral reef ecosystems, mangrove, etc.). In turn, every zone
differentiates in coastal (neritic) and marine or oceanic, in respect to continental shelf. The
reviewing of ecosystem propose an oceanic research plan that maximize opportunities to collect,
administrate and analyze oceanic data, and contemplate ways to share resources and provide the
information required for make decisions, using data bases for the use and protection of Mexican
seas.
Objectives of the Assessment
Describe the marine ecosystems as well as the main coastal, insulate and aquatic epicontinental
ecosystems of Mexico, which are highlighted by its high sociocultural and environmental
diversities.
Abstract
This document is composed by five sections. First one gives a general landscape about
Biogeography and Ecosystems. Second section focus on the species knowledge, that includes
chapters about the legal situation for species sampling; the coastal, insular and epicontinetal
ecosystems; as well as the marine ecosystems. The chapters are descriptive and provide
information about the impact and vulnerability of those ecosystems, priorities, legislation, and
future challenges on decision making. Following section includes the genetic variability and its
relation as conservation instrument. Last chapters focus on the biodiversity and society.
Questions
1. CONABIO
2. CONABIO as editor and authors and reviewers form the different chapters includes the follow
Institutions: Bioconservación A. C., Centro Geo, Cibnor, CICESE, CICY, Departamento de
Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas, Ecosur, Equidad y Sustentabilidad, A.C., Escuela libre de
Derecho, IE, INAH, IPN, Jardín Etnobotánico de Oaxaca, Procuraduría Ambiental y del
Ordenamiento Territorial del Distrito Federal, Pronatura A. C., Redes por la Diversidad, Redes por
la Diversidad, Equidad y Sustentabilidad, A.C, Segob, Semarnat, The Nature Conservancy, UABC,
UABCS, UAEH, UAM, UANL, UASLP, UDF, UDG, UMSNH, UNAM, Universidad de Colima,
Universidad de Sonora, UV, from Mexico. Administración Nacional de Laboratorios e Institutos de
Salud, from Argentina. Corporación para la Investigación Científica, from Colombia. Department of
Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Natural History Museum and Biodiversity Research Center,
University of Kansas, from USA. Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, Consejo Superior de
Investigaciones Científicas, Madrid, from Spain. School of Biological Sciences, University of
Auckland, from New Zealand.
3. Mexico is considered as mega diverse country, in particular Mexican marine ecosystem is
classified in agreement to life zones as pelagic (associated to the water column) and benthonic
(associated to marine bottom), relating with biotypes (bottoms and sandy littorals, rocky, etc.) and
with biocoenosis characteristics (coral reef ecosystems, mangrove, etc.). In turn, every zone
differentiates in coastal (neritic) and marine or oceanic, in respect to continental shelf. The
reviewing of ecosystem propose an oceanic research plan that maximize opportunities to collect,
administrate and analyze oceanic data, and contemplate ways to share resources and provide the
information required for make decisions, using data bases for the use and protection of Mexican
seas.
4. Describe the marine ecosystems as well as the main coastal, insulate and aquatic epicontinental
ecosystems of Mexico, which are highlighted by its high sociocultural and environmental
diversities.
5. The book is a base line of the biodiversity knowledge of marine ecosystem that includes
information about their impact and vulnerability, priorities, legislation, and future challenges on
decision making.
6. Mexico
7. National knowledge
8. Published on 2008
9. Rare.
10. Mexican national territory: coastal, neritic and pelagic zones.
11. Legal situation for species sampling, impact and vulnerability of marine ecosystems, gaps of
biodiversity knowledge.
12. Bibliographic.
13. Impact and vulnerability, priorities, and future challenges on decision making are based on
historical data.
14. Yes, summarized on tables and electronic complementary information.
15. More than 50 specialist researchers from different institutions compiled and valued the
information.
16. No. But predictions were suggested.
17. Not specified.
18. Published data.
19. Group of specialist research reviewers.
20. Yes, designed by the advisory committee work.
21. Exact and Social Sciences, management based on ecological data.
22. Not specified
23. 24. No.
25. Yes, by CONABIO.
26. This is a national initiative.
27. There is a special section of research priorities and conservation proposals.
28. Book.
29. Spanish.
30. Summarized on Tables and diagrams.
31. Yes, based on historical information.
32. Yes, settle the basis and future challenges for planning and decision making.
33. Yes, and are proposed as future challenges for planning and decision making.
34. Yes.
35. Yes, the reviewing of ecosystem propose an oceanic research plan that maximize opportunities
to collect, administrate and analyze oceanic data, and contemplate ways to share resources and
provide the information required for decisions making, using data bases for the use and protection
of Mexican seas.
36. Yes, information is summarized with diagrams, tables and pictures are included for an easy
knowledge of Mexican ecosystems includes marine, coastal, insular and epicontinetal ecosystems.
37. This is a national assessment.
38. Yes, as general overview.
39. There are strengths in the assessment.
40. -