Modern Environmental Science and Engineering (ISSN 2333-2581) May 2019, Volume 5, No. 5, pp. 400-405 Doi: 10.15341/mese(2333-2581)/05.05.2019/007 Academic Star Publishing Company, 2019 www.academicstar.us Analysis of Priorities in the Study and Conservation of Vertebrates in the Rio Lerma Basin, State of Mexico, Mexico Kathleen Ann Babb-Stanley1, and Noé Pacheco Coronel2 Laboratory of Vertebrates, Department of Comparative Biology, Science Faculty, National Autonomous of Mexico, UNAM Abstract: This paper updates and analyzes the information gathered in the field and bibliographically about the diversity of the terrestrial vertebrates, in different types of environments and habitats in the Lerma basin, State of Mexico. With this data we analyzed diverse attributes of each vertebrates: patterns in distribution, richness, endemism, and species at risk, by type of vegetation and habitat, using scores for each attribute, to obtained an index that allows to determine the degree of rarity-vulnerability, and with these and as a direct measure of the status of the faunistic community, an Habitat Conservation Value Index was obtained. 59 percent of the vertebrates of the state, are in the basin; 15.2 percent are very rare and vulnerable, with diverse requirements: Ambystoma lermaense, Pseudoeurycea leper, Micrathene whitneyi, Ridgwayia pinicola; Cratogeomys tylorhinus and Cryptotis alticola. The pine-oak forest was the richest in species, endemics and rare species. By sub-basin, is the southern and higher portion that resulted with a very rich wild fauna but has an elevated fragility value. This approach has to do with the generation of biological and ecological knowledge and life history of each vertebrate, especially those endemic, and very rare and vulnerable, in the Lerma, one of the most overpopulated and contaminated hydrological basin of Mexico. Key words: vertebrates, priorities, Lerma basin, rarity, vulnerability there is a wide representation of aquatic and terrestrial 1. Introduction ecosystems, all of them with a great variety of Trends in different attributes like total richness, environmental services that directly influence the diversity and rarity over the years of wild fauna preservation of biodiversity. species, can be used as indicators of environmental Even though the state of Mexico represents only health of the ecosystems, both natural and those one percent of the national territory, it possesses a transformed for agricultural and livestock activities high richness of terrestrial vertebrates, of which 5.6% [1]. are in some risk category [2]. In general, the Monitoring and evaluating richness of species of knowledge of wildlife in the state has focused on the terrestrial vertebrates at the scale of watersheds and description and distributional records of vertebrate hydrological sub basins is relevant, as they tend to species; thus, lacking the necessary information for represent beta diversity. It also allows having the the species and habitat management and conservation scientific basis for conserving selected areas, habitats [3]. Throughout the entire state, there is a valuable and priority species within these watersheds where collection of faunal resources, seriously threatened by habitat loss, due to changes in land use, heavy logging Corresponding author: Kathleen Ann Babb-Stanley, Dr.; and pollution effects. Today we need to know the research areas/interests: Biology, ecology, management and responses of the fauna species to anthropogenic conservation of vertebrates, ornithology. E-mail: [email protected]. conditions. One way of doing so it is through using Analysis of Priorities in the Study and Conservation of Vertebrates in the Rio Lerma Basin, 401 State of Mexico, Mexico key and indicator species and integral biological Richness, and diversity of vertebrates throughout indices, which allows us to evaluate the requirements the basin was obtained by consulting the respective of the species and their relevance, necessary literature and by wildlife monitoring carried out knowledge to ensure the survival of the species and mainly in its southern portion, from 1989 to 2017. the adequate management and conservation of wildlife Data about species richness by terrestrial vertebrate and their habitats [4]. None of the subprovinces or group, by habitat (lagoons, crop fields, riparian regions of the Lerma basin has escaped significant vegetation o riverbank, and oak, oak- pine and fir damage [5]. forests. We examined total richness by vertebrate class A method is applied using scores that includes was examined, also the number of species at risk, several general, regional and local criteria, to those introduced species and those considered as very determine the degree of sensitivity or rarity and rare, and vulnerable. For the quantification of the vulnerability, of each of the vertebrate species present rarity and vulnerability value, different attributes were in the region. With these scores we obtained an index used: sensitivity, as well as general and local that reflects the conservation value of each vertebrate distribution, and regional (species concentration and species by habitat; which allows us to analyze and habitat selection). Considering the concentration of confront some species priorities and of the different the species as the number of locations in which the natural ecosystems and those transformed that are species is registered for the watershed in the state and present in the Lerma’s basin in the state of Mexico. the habitat selection refers to the number of vegetation With this is intended to determine the importance of types in which the species is registered in these this initial portion of the Lerma Basin for proper locations. For each attribute we assigned a score from management, that will allow to preserve biodiversity, zero to four. The sum of each of these attributes restore aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems and their corresponds to the rarity value of the species; in such a vertebrate species, and promoting the maintenance of way that the maximum expected score was 17 points, the services that each ecosystem provides. being this a very rare and highly sensitive or vulnerable species. 2. Method Following the recommendations of Canteburry et al. This work comprises the analysis of vertebrate [7] and Smith & O’Neil [8], once the rarity value by species of the Lerma basin, located in the western species was determined a Habitat conservation value portion of the state of México, between 19°15' and index of vertebrates by habitat was carried out by 20°05' North latitude and 99°25' and 100°15' west scores, as a direct measure of the status or distinction longitude; with a length of 133 km, comprising 35 of the faunal community, considering total species municipalities. In this area there are a variety of richness by group (herpetofauna, birds and mammals), topographic forms and within the state limits is by number of very rare and vulnerable species, by divided into three courses: the first one, El Alto, from species at risk, endemic and exclusive ones with a Nevado of Toluca, to the entrance of J. A. Alzate dam, maximum Table 1. at the municipalities of Toluca and Temoaya; the 3. Results medium part goes from the dam to the limits of the municipalities of San Felipe del Progreso, Jocotitlán The terrestrial vertebrates of the Lerma basin in and Atlacomulco, and the low course covers El Oro, Mexico state represent 59% (466 species) of the total Temascalcingo and Acambay [6]. number of species reported for the state. And it is in the initial and most southern portion of the high 402 Analysis of Priorities in the Study and Conservation of Vertebrates in the Rio Lerma Basin, State of Mexico, Mexico course, where 55.6% of these species are recorded sub-basin represents less than 30% of all the basin (76% amphibians and reptiles, 63.64% mammals and area 53% birds), which is considered relevant since this Table 1 A) Attributes, and scoring for obtaining the value of rarity and vulnerability and B) For the Habitat conservation value index. A: Values of rarity and vulnerability Attribute Criterion Score Atribute Criterion Score Part M. Plateau and Trans Wide 0 3 Volcanic Belt Neártic/Neotrop 1 Trans Volcanic Belt 2 1. Distribution 2. Endemics by region Mexican Plateau 2 End. To Mexico 1 Trans Volcanic Belt 3 No ennd 0 Endemic 4 Probably extinct 4 10 or more 1 4. In risk In danger 3 3. No. (NOM-ECOL. 059 Munici-palities 9 to 5 2 2010) Threatened 2 State of México 4 to 1 3 Special protection 1 1 3 5. Habitat 2 2 Maximum =17 points= a very rare and very vulnerable species Selection 3 or more 1 B: Habitat Conservation Value Index (HCVI) Attribute (%) Score Attribute (%) Score 75% 3 10 to 8% 3 Species total Very rare and 50-74% 2 7 to 5% 2 (%) vulnerable species 49-10% 1 -5% 1 Endemic 20-16% 3 -10% 1 Species 15 a 10% 2 Exclusive species 11-19% 2 20-30% 3 HCVI 12 maximum in the state. By habitat it is in the oak-pine forest, others. It stands out that the species of amphibians and where the highest percentage of species is recorded reptiles are those that by habitat had the highest more than 50% of the bird species are found in the percentage of species in the category of very rare and riparian area. The axolotl (Ambystoma lermaense) and vulnerable, especially in the lagoon Table 2. The various game bird species are present in the lagoons highest values of the Index of conservation value by and these two habitats recorded the highest percentage habitat (IVCH) obtained, was in the pine-oak forest, of exclusive species (50% of the species). And the where in the last years, has change about 3.5%. By highest percentage of endemic species concentrates sub-basin the most initial and highest and initial, is the mainly in the elevated portions of oak-pine forest.