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Main Author: Mónica E. Riojas-López
Format: Artículo científico
Language:en
Published: Instituto de Ecología, A.C. 2025
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Online Access:https://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=57582010010
https://www.redalyc.org/journal/575/57582010010/
https://www.redalyc.org/journal/575/57582010010/html/
https://www.redalyc.org/journal/575/57582010010/57582010010.epub
https://www.redalyc.org/journal/575/57582010010/movil
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author Mónica E. Riojas-López
author_facet Mónica E. Riojas-López
contents The value of xeroriparian habitats in the Llanos de Ojuelos, southern portion of the central plateau of Mexico in the light of new mammal records Mónica E. Riojas-López Eric Mellink Marco A. Carrasco-Ortiz Biología pecari tajacu puma concolor taxidea taxus sciurus oculatus Bassariscus astutus The Llanos de Ojuelos, in the southern part of the central plateau of Mexico is a complex, semiarid, anthropized landscape, in which native habitats persist as remnants within a diffuse farmland matrix. Approximately 0.1% of the landscape is covered by riparian habitats, which in arid and semiarid regions are known as xeroriparian. They are mostly fragmented remnants of a historically much larger xeroriparian network. Xeroriparian habitats generally play a disproportionate role as wildlife habitat, although their value for many groups, including mammals, has not been assessed in the southern part of the central plateau of México. Since 2003 we conducted some opportunistic observations in xeroriparian habitats, and from 2017 to 2023 we deployed 15 automatic trail cameras at five xeroriparian systems for different periods of time. We also surveyed these and other such systems in search of mammal signs. Among the many species whose records we obtained, those of Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana), nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus), ringtail (Bassariscus astutus), American badger (Taxidea taxus), puma (Puma concolor), collared peccary (Pecari tajacu), and Peters´ squirrel (Sciurus oculatus) were important in improving our understanding of the conservation value of xeroriparian systems. They either were new records for these systems or complemented the scanty data previously generated. The data fill important information gaps on mammal distribution and habitat use and contribute to a better knowledge of the mammal composition of the region and the conservation role of its xeroriparian systems. Some species, such as the American badger and ringtail, may have always inhabited the region, but remained undetected due to their cryptic nature. Others, like the puma and collared peccary, appear to be recolonizing large areas from which they had been extirpated. In contrast, at least the armadillo seems to be a recent colonizer. The origin of Peters´ squirrel requires further study. Although much remains unknown about the value of xeroriparian habitats in the southern part of the central plateau of Mexico for mammals, their disappearance, reduction, or strong transformation would impact this group negatively. Our new data underscore that despite the extended anthropization of the Llanos de Ojuelos, xeroriparian habitats play an important role in the conservation of mammalian biodiversity. 2025 artículo científico 0065-1737 https://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=57582010010 https://www.redalyc.org/journal/575/57582010010/ https://www.redalyc.org/journal/575/57582010010/html/ https://www.redalyc.org/journal/575/57582010010/57582010010.epub https://www.redalyc.org/journal/575/57582010010/movil 10.21829/azm.2025.4112695 en http://www.redalyc.org/revista.oa?id=575 Acta Zoológica Mexicana (nueva serie) application/pdf Instituto de Ecología, A.C. Acta Zoológica Mexicana (nueva serie) (México) Vol.41
format Artículo científico
id redalyc_57582010010
language en
publishDate 2025
publisher Instituto de Ecología, A.C.
spellingShingle The value of xeroriparian habitats in the Llanos de Ojuelos, southern portion of the central plateau of Mexico in the light of new mammal records
Mónica E. Riojas-López
Biología
pecari tajacu
puma concolor
taxidea taxus
sciurus oculatus
Bassariscus astutus
The value of xeroriparian habitats in the Llanos de Ojuelos, southern portion of the central plateau of Mexico in the light of new mammal records Mónica E. Riojas-López Eric Mellink Marco A. Carrasco-Ortiz Biología pecari tajacu puma concolor taxidea taxus sciurus oculatus Bassariscus astutus The Llanos de Ojuelos, in the southern part of the central plateau of Mexico is a complex, semiarid, anthropized landscape, in which native habitats persist as remnants within a diffuse farmland matrix. Approximately 0.1% of the landscape is covered by riparian habitats, which in arid and semiarid regions are known as xeroriparian. They are mostly fragmented remnants of a historically much larger xeroriparian network. Xeroriparian habitats generally play a disproportionate role as wildlife habitat, although their value for many groups, including mammals, has not been assessed in the southern part of the central plateau of México. Since 2003 we conducted some opportunistic observations in xeroriparian habitats, and from 2017 to 2023 we deployed 15 automatic trail cameras at five xeroriparian systems for different periods of time. We also surveyed these and other such systems in search of mammal signs. Among the many species whose records we obtained, those of Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana), nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus), ringtail (Bassariscus astutus), American badger (Taxidea taxus), puma (Puma concolor), collared peccary (Pecari tajacu), and Peters´ squirrel (Sciurus oculatus) were important in improving our understanding of the conservation value of xeroriparian systems. They either were new records for these systems or complemented the scanty data previously generated. The data fill important information gaps on mammal distribution and habitat use and contribute to a better knowledge of the mammal composition of the region and the conservation role of its xeroriparian systems. Some species, such as the American badger and ringtail, may have always inhabited the region, but remained undetected due to their cryptic nature. Others, like the puma and collared peccary, appear to be recolonizing large areas from which they had been extirpated. In contrast, at least the armadillo seems to be a recent colonizer. The origin of Peters´ squirrel requires further study. Although much remains unknown about the value of xeroriparian habitats in the southern part of the central plateau of Mexico for mammals, their disappearance, reduction, or strong transformation would impact this group negatively. Our new data underscore that despite the extended anthropization of the Llanos de Ojuelos, xeroriparian habitats play an important role in the conservation of mammalian biodiversity. 2025 artículo científico 0065-1737 https://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=57582010010 https://www.redalyc.org/journal/575/57582010010/ https://www.redalyc.org/journal/575/57582010010/html/ https://www.redalyc.org/journal/575/57582010010/57582010010.epub https://www.redalyc.org/journal/575/57582010010/movil 10.21829/azm.2025.4112695 en http://www.redalyc.org/revista.oa?id=575 Acta Zoológica Mexicana (nueva serie) application/pdf Instituto de Ecología, A.C. Acta Zoológica Mexicana (nueva serie) (México) Vol.41
title The value of xeroriparian habitats in the Llanos de Ojuelos, southern portion of the central plateau of Mexico in the light of new mammal records
topic Biología
pecari tajacu
puma concolor
taxidea taxus
sciurus oculatus
Bassariscus astutus
url https://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=57582010010
https://www.redalyc.org/journal/575/57582010010/
https://www.redalyc.org/journal/575/57582010010/html/
https://www.redalyc.org/journal/575/57582010010/57582010010.epub
https://www.redalyc.org/journal/575/57582010010/movil