Biodiversidad De Mexico En Riesgo

MEXICO
A WORLD BIORESERVE AT RISK

Due to its geographic location and features, Mexico has a great diversity of ecosystems. The great complexity of the country permits us to enjoy shrubs, pasturelands, forests, dry and wet jungles, cold, mild and cloudy forests, alpine prairies, reefs, great sea deepness, sand dunes, mangroves and a big diversity of humid soils.
Mexico has almost 70% ofthe world diversity of species, it is one of three megadiverse countries (together with the United States and Colombia) with coast shores in the Pacific and in the Atlantic. Mexican landscapes are predominantly mountainous, and this fact produces great diversity of environments, soils and climates. Because the islands and the continent are separated, unique flora and fauna have developed. InMexico, flora and fauna of two continents that were isolated for many years (North America and South America) are present and, in spite of the fact that the development of culture is recent in relation with the formation of species, the taming of plants and animals has contributed to its natural richness. We also have to consider the importance of the development of different cultures and its directrelationship with biodiversity, and that it is one of the principal centers of taming of species in the world.
Because of this, Mexico is considered the 4th. more megadiverse country in the world. We are the country with more reptiles, 2nd. in mammals and 4th. in amphibious. We also have, above all this, a great number of endemic species like the Mexican “ajolote” (lake salamander) found in theXochimilco channels; the manatee in the Caribbean shores; the spider monkey, native of the Chiapas and Yucatán jungles; and also several birds and different species of whales that migrate and reproduce here, such as the turtles and the Monarch butterflies. On the other side, corals are quite abundant in Mexican seashores.
The Mexican government is committed to protect this natural treasure wehave, by creating a series of “Protected Natural Areas” that are under the authority of the National Commission of Protected Natural Areas (CONANP). This office has identified 34 Biosphere Reserves, sea and land; 67 Natural Parks, 4 Natural Monuments and 17 Sanctuaries. Among the best-known we can mention the Desierto de los Leones National Park; the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve; and theCoral Reef of the Yucatan Peninsula. These areas have the following purposes:

-To preserve biodiversity
-To preserve cultural patterns
-To create tourist-development sites
-To create environmental education sites
-To provide elements and processes for the development of scientific research

All this wonderful biodiversity has attracted tourists that come from all over the world andarrive daily to our territory. The tourist industry stands for almost 9% of our National Income (PIB). In one year, around 24 million tourists arrive to appreciate what we have. This is why it is considered the 10th. country with more tourists per year. This diminishes unemployment, makes small and medium enterprises develop, and enhances tourist agencies, hotels and airlines to progress but,above all, it helps to finance natural parks.

In spite of all this great biodiversity that our country has, human activities, pollution, and mainly global warming have greatly influenced the diminishing of the number of species; the size and genetic variety of the wild populations and the irreversible loss of habitats and ecosystems, being the most common: clandestine tree devastation in forestsand jungles; selling of species in risk of extinction; pollution of rivers, lakes, lagoons and seas. Also, some natural phenomena like fires, eruptions, hurricanes, floods and earthquakes contribute, in some way, to the loss of this biodiversity. The threat that affects the integrity and preservation of natural resources and biodiversity, is present in ecosystems, species and genes.

We have...