Levels of conservation and habitat degradation in the ecosystems of a high biodiversity basin in northeastern Mexico

Abstract

Ecosystems with optimal environmental service flows offer adequate quality in their habitats to maintain their biodiversity. Anthropogenic factors of higher intensity and proximity to the habitat can reduce this quality, and we can study this degradation with geospatial tools. This work evaluated the levels of relative degradation of habitat in the Guayalejo-Tamesi basin (Tamaulipas, Mexico), concerning the adjacent factors that threaten its quality. We used the geospatial tool Habitat Quality of the Toolbox InVest 1.005beta for ArcGis-9.2. The ecosystems with less threat to their habitat (zero degradation or less than 20\%) and with better conservation opportunities, represent 77,3\% of the surface of the basin. Mountainous habitats (temperate and cloud forests) are the best-preserved since more than 80\% of their surface is free of degradation. The mountain cloud forest, with 94\% of its surface not degraded, due to its low exposure to threatening factors. In conclusion, in spite of the intensive use of the territory of the basin, there are well-conserved ecosystems, especially in isolated areas. The lack of legal protection at the majority of these sites exposes it to enlargement and aggravation of the anthropogenic threats.