Ecosystem Integrity and Community Participation Related to Water Availability Within and Around Calakmul Biosphere Reserve
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MAB-UNESCO Dení Rayn PhD Status Report Ecosystem integrity and community participation related to water availability within and around Calakmul Biosphere Reserve Prepared by Dení Rayn PhD 1 2009 1Contact details: [email protected] 1 Front cover photo: Panoramic view of Calakmul Biosphere Reserve from Structure II in Calakmul archeological site (by Dení Rayn) Table of contents Abstract.................................................................................................................. .3 Intro………………………………………………………………………………..4 Study site…………………………………………………………………………..5 Vegetation…………………………………………………………………………7 Fauna………………………………………………………………………………10 Waterholes………………………………………………………………………...11 Socio-demographic and economic profile………………………………………12 Objectives………………………………………………………………………….13 Methods……………………………………………………………………………13 Results....…………………………………………………………………………...14 Conclusions and recommendations......................................................................35 Future work.............................................................................................................37 References…………………………………………………………………………38 Annexes……………………………………………………………………………39 2 ABSTRACT Calakmul Region is part of the second largest area of tropical forests in North America, the Maya Forest. It was decreed as a reserve in 1989 . In 1993 the reserve was included in the international web of the programme "Man the Biosphere" of UNESCO. In Calakmul permanent water holes tend to be located in bigger numbers surrounding settlements ( ejidos ). As a result, individuals of species such as Tapir, White-lipped Peccary and Jaguar, must go outside the limits of the reserve to get water. We collected data already available from the reserve and academic institutions in order to be integrated; we monitored selected water holes within and adjacent to Calakmul Biosphere Reserve and visited adjacent ejidos to interview local people and to explore the possibility of community participation in proposals such as voluntary reserves. In all communities visited favorable conditions were found for the implementation of internal regulations that would allow to protect waterholes and fauna within the ejidos. 3 Introduction Due to the karstic nature of Yucatan´s peninsula, the soil gets saturated with water during rain season forming water holes or “aguadas” in the lower regions. During dry season these water holes are the main source of water to fauna (Aranda, 1990, Aranda,1994, Hernández- Huerta et al 2000, Naranjo, 2001; García_Gil 2003). Permanent water holes tend to be located in bigger numbers surrounding settlements ( ejidos ) (S. Calmé, pers. com). As a result, individuals of species such as Tapir, White-lipped Peccary and Jaguar, must go outside the limits of the reserve to get water (March 1994, Hernández-Huerta et al 2000, Escalona-Segura et al 2002, García –Escalona 2003, García-Gil 2003, Martínez-Kú 2007).There are some studies on the relation between water holes and fauna (García- Escalona, 2003; Mandujano and Gallina, 1995; Vaughan y Weiss, 1999, Martínez-Kú 2007). Martínez_Kú (2007) data sustains that areas with water holes have more diversity of mid-size mammals during dry season while there is no significant difference during rainy season. He also reports that human activities in the waterhole area can have an impact on the habitat. However, more information is necessary to understand how this works. When planning the reserve’s boundaries, the location of villages and land use by local inhabitants were not taken into account, in particular because the region was barely being settled at the time the reserve was decreed (1989). Since then, the population grew from 3,000 to more than 25,000 people. The location of areas of special importance for biodiversity conservation was not considered either. The poor design of the core areas (Galindo-Leal 1999) has resulted in the southern core area being located adjacent to several villages without any buffer zone in between and as a consequence, it is very vulnerable to slash and burn agriculture, as well as poaching and wildlife trafficking. Forest cover declined in Calakmul region from 1974 to 2000 both within and outside the reserve, with a peak in forest loss in the total interior and the external buffer from 1986 to 4 1990, improving considerably from 1990- 2000. The net change in forest cover from 1974- 2000 was -0.70 in the external buffer and -0.34 within the reserve. (Rayn-Villalba, 2006). Study site Calakmul is part of the second largest area of tropical forests in North America, the Maya Forest. It is located in the 19 o 12' 00" and 17 o 48' 39" N and 90 29' and 89 o 09' 39" W, southeast of the state of Campeche bordered to the north by Hopelchén municipality, to the west by Escárcega and Candelaria municipalities, to the south by Guatemala and Belice, and to the east by the state of Quintana Roo. The altitude range is 260 to 360 above sea level. According to Köppen, modified by García (1973), the climate is warm sub-humid (Aw), with the mean annual temperature of 27 0 C and a low of 18 0 C. The average annual rainfall in the area is 750 mm (Arriaga et al. 2000). Calakmul municipality extension is 13,839.11 Km 2 representing 24.34% of Campeche State (Gobierno de estado de Campeche, 2000). Calakmul 5 Figure 1. Location of Calakmul Biosphere Reserve Figure 2. Polygon of Calakmul Biosphere Reserve: in red the core areas Calakmul Biosphere Reserve is divided in two core areas and one buffer zone. One of the 2 core areas is in the southeast portion with 147.915 ha, the other core area is in the northern portion of reserve and has 100.345 ha. In total core areas cover 248.260 ha. The rest is the buffer zone with 474.924 ha. The initiative to create the reserve in 1989 had as a goal to protect the area surrounding the archaeological sites found in Calakmul. In 1993 the reserve was included in the international web of the programme "Man the Biosphere" (MAB) of UNESCO. 6 Calakmul Reserve is part of the mesoamerican corridor where there is a flow of species from the Yucatán Biotic Province, the Itsmo of Tehuantepec and the Guatemalan Petén. There are around 86 mammal species in Calakmul of which 18 are included in the Norma Oficial Mexicana de Ecología 059 (NOM-059-ECOL/1994), which determines species with some degree of threat. Also five of the six species of felis in México live in Calakmul: jaguar (Panthera onca ), puma ( Puma concolor ), ocelote ( Leopardus pardalis ), tigrillo ( Leopardus wiedii ) and leoncillo ( Herpailurus yagouaroundi ). More than 230 avian species have been registered for the reserve, and between 3 y 5 million migratory birds come to spend the winter every year. Other important species of fauna that find refuge in Calakmul are: jabirú (Jabiru mycteria), frogs Similisca cyanosticta, black vulture (Sarcoramphus papa), Eagles (Spizaetus ornatus), tucans, parrots, six species of marsupials and 2 primates (alouatta palliata and Ateles geoffroyi). Futhermore, Calakmul is the only place in the American continent where the Canellaceae family (flora) can be found. Calakmul Reserve is a federal reserve; funding is provided by CONANP (Comisión Nacional de Áreas Naturales Protegidas) and the Fondo Mexicano para la Conservación. Presently the reserve has 19 people as staff: 1 Director, 1 vice Director, 1 General Coordinator , 2 special technicians, 2 operative managers, 12 rangers. There are 3 annual programmes: the first regarding preservation of landraised (or criollo) maize germoplasm and the other 2 promote sustainable activities and development of infrastructure in the communities. Vegetation According to Martínez and Galindo (2002) the ecosystems present in Calakmul include: • Subtropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forest • Tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas, and shrublands • Flooded grasslands and savannas 7 • Wetlands • Riparian vegetation • Secondary vegetation Figure 3. Vegetation in Calakmul Biosphere Reserve Change in vegetation in Calakmul Biosphere Reserve In Rayn-Villalba (2006) it was found that although the loss of vegetation cover slowed down after the reserve was decreed in 1989, the poor reserve design has facilitated significant impacts on flora and fauna, including the increase in deforestation in core areas. This was exacerbated by the lack of clear definition of the uses of each part of the reserve . Table 1 figure 3 a,b,c 8 Table 1. Change forest cover in Calkmul Biosphere Reserve and surrounding area from 1974 to 2000. Net change in forest cover (%) Period External buffer Total Interior Core areas 1974-1986 -0.74 -0.34 -0.28 1986-1990 -2.41 -2.37 -2.29 1990-2000 0.02 0.34 0.46 1974-2000 -0.7 -0.7 -0.31 a) 1974 b) 1986 c) 2000 Figure 4. Encroachment in Calakmul biosphere Reserve. The maps show Calakmul Biospehre Reserve polygon (yellow) and core areas (blue). 9 It was also found that the loss in forest cover was lower in the centre of the reserve regardless of whether it was part of a core area or not. Population and road density by 2000 were also lower in the center. This supported the idea that isolation from the edge provides protection. Fauna There are 75 species of reptiles and 18 species of amphibians in the reserve, which represents 70 percent of the amphibians found in the Yucatan Peninsula. Thirty-five of the species of reptiles and 5 species of amphibians are considered threatened, in danger, rare, or in need of special protection according to the Official Registry of Mexican Ecology. 31 species of fish have been identified, most prominent of which is the family Chichilidae, represented by eight species. Up to the year 2000, inventories of butterflies had documented 380 species, although the total number is estimated at 500 (Pozo et al. 2001). Herpetofauna There are 18 amphibian species reported in Calkmul area (Pozo de la Tijera, 1988), which represents 75% of the species found in Yucatán Peninsula. All the species belong to the Order Anura, with 6 families represented; Bufonidae with 2 species, Rhinophrynidae with one, Hylidae with two, Leptodactylidae with two, Mycrohylidae with two, and Ranidae also with two. There are 59 reptile species reported (Calderón, 1999) representing almost 32% of the 182 species in Yucatán Peninsula.