Are there any protected areas for that ecosystem? What is the status of that protected ecosystem?

Tianyi Peng

There are several biosphere reserve regions for tropical dry forest in Mexico, yet only 0.2% of total tropical dry forest potential extent is under protection (Portillo-Quintero, 2010). Chamela-Cuixmala Biosphere Reserve is located along the central Pacific coast of Mexico and it has a large variety of ecosystems. Tropical dry forest is the dominant one in the region. Human activities, mainly livestock and tourism, have been developed in the ecosystem (United Nations educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization[UNESCO],2006). A part of the landscape surrounding the Biosphere Reserve has been converted by human settlements, but “a high percentage of mature and successional forest is still found in fragments and continuous patches, which are owned by the communal land ownership of Ejidos” (Sanchez-Azofeifa, 2013, p. 32).

Site image of Chamela-Cuixmala Biosphere Reserve (Romero-Duque., Jaramillo, & Perez-Jimenez, 2007)

La Sepultura Biosphere Reserve, located in the Sierra Madre mountain range in Chiapas, is also a highly diverse forest reserve. Its main forest type is tropical dry forest. Various traditional forms of local ownership of land have been developed, which promote special management and conservation of the region (UNESCO, 2006).

Consisting mainly of tropical dry forest, the Sierra de Álamos Biosphere Reserve runs parallel to the coast of the Pacific Ocean.  “It hosts a wealth of key species like puma (Puma concolor), jaguar (Panthera onca), ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) and kinkajous (Herpailurus yaguaroundi)" (UNESCO, 2007). 

Sierra La Laguna Biosphere Reserve includes tropical dry forest and semi-desert. It is located in the State of Baja California Sur, close to the southern tip of Baja California Peninsula. The ecosystem is established by President Decree of 6 1994, forming only core area and buffer zone at that time. The ecosystem has rich biodiversity with 974 higher plant species reported of which 23.2% endemic species, including 5 endemic geneva (UNESCO, 2003).