Relationship between climate change and vegetation distribution in the Mediterranean mountains: Manzanares Head valley, Sierra De Guadarrama (Central Spain)

This work analyzes the consequences of climate change in the distribution of the Mediterranean high-mountain vegetation. A study area was chosen at the Sierra de Guadarrama, in the center of the Iberian Peninsula (1,795 to 2,374 m asl). Climate change was analyzed from the record of 18 variables regarding temperature, rainfall and snowfall over the period 1951–2000. The permanence of snow cover (1996–2004), landforms stability and vegetation distribution in 5 years (1956, 1972, 1984, 1991 and 1998) were all analyzed. The Nival Correlation Level of the different vegetation classes was determined through their spatial and/or temporal relationship with several climatologic variables, snow cover duration and landforms. In order to quantify trends and major change processes, areas and percent changes were calculated, as well as Mean Annual Transformation Indices and Transition Matrices. The findings reveal that in the first part of the study period (up to the first half of the 1970s) the temperature rise in the mid-winter months caused the reduction of some classes of nival vegetation, while others expanded, favored by high rainfall, decrease in both maximum temperatures and summer aridity, and longer snow cover duration. The second part of the study period was characterized by the consolidation of the increase in all thermal variables, along with an important reduction in rainfall volume and snow cover duration. As a result, herbaceous plants, which are highly correlated with a long snow permanence and abundance of melting water, have been replaced by leguminous shrubs which grow away from the influence of snow, and which are steadily becoming denser.     

Fragmentation, transport and deposition of a low-grade ignimbrite: The Citlaltépetl Ignimbrite, Eastern México

 The Citlaltépetl Ignimbrite records one of the largest explosive events during the Holocene activity of Citlaltépetl Volcano (Pico de Orizaba). Multiple pyroclastic flow units, a fall deposit, and some lahar units were emplaced between 8500–9000 y B.P. as a result of repetitive but discrete explosive events. The whole ignimbrite resulted from discrete fluctuations in eruptive intensity that decreased with time. The initial pyroclastic flow pulse was by far the most violent and widespread event, and its deposits show conspicuous variations in structure and texture that could be associated with different mechanisms of transport and emplacement. Subpopulation Sequential Fragmentation Transport (SFT) analyses were carried out in order to determine the physical mechanisms that selectively concentrate or remove particles in the moving flows. We suggest that lateral and temporal changes in the flow rheology, in which fluidization, yield strength, entrainment of atmospheric air, and sedimentation played a dominant role in flow propagation and emplacement, may imprint a unique signature in the grain-size spectra. The lowermost unit of the Citlaltépetl Ignimbrite can be envisaged by a model in which progressive aggradation near the vent became replaced by en masse emplacement farther outward. Received: 24 March 1998 / Accepted: 9 October 1998     

Technical, economics and environmental analysis of semi-intensive shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) farming in Sonora, Sinaloa and Nayarit states, at the east coast of the Gulf of California, México

In Mexico shrimp pond aquaculture is the main activity and contributes with 45.9% of the total fisheries volume and 74.3% of gross profit generated by the national products, being Sonora, Sinaloa and Nayarit in the east coast of the Gulf of California the states generating around 70% of region gross profit. The main species cultivated is the white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei, and for this reason academic and government sector devoted much attention in this species, however, still researching on economic feasibility is scarce and needed. In this paper, the technical, economics, production and environment parameters of 80 semi-intensive commercial in these states are analyzed and discussed. The results showed the main external constraints affecting short and long run farm performance. The overall observations pointed out that there is an increase on yield and income when shrimp farms invest in higher quality inputs such as equipment and technology for more efficiency in using water, use of certified post-larvae and better design of farm facility. Nevertheless, further research is needed to adjust shrimp production strategies to specific farm requirement by investing in premium quality inputs. Furthermore, the most serious threat from shrimp aquaculture is the potential effect on water quality and the infrastructure associated, that having more serious effects on the environment, particularly in the coastal wetlands. The economic and the environment care must be driven to lead a more sustainable scenario.     

Effect of climatic oscillations on flood occurrence on Papaloapan River,México,during the 1550–2000 period

This study presents a chronology of historical and measured flood events in the Papaloapan River basin of Mexico during 450 years. Twenty-eight historical floods were recorded during the period 1550–1948 on this river and one flood event (1969) in the instrumental era (1949–2000), of which 14 were extraordinary floods and only 15 were catastrophic ones. There were several flood-rich decades during 1860–1870, 1880–1890, 1920–1930 and 1940–1950. Wavelet analysis found a significant flooding periodicity of 58 years. The wavelet coherence analysis found that flooding had an in-phase relationship with the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation and also with the Pacific Decadal Oscillation. Logistic regression corroborated that there exists a positive relationship between floods events and these two natural climatic oscillations. The logistic regression model predicted correctly 92% of flood events.     

Spatial analysis of the impact of shrimp culture on the coastal wetlands on the Northern coast of Sinaloa, Mexico

In the Mexican coasts, as in many tropical and subtropical coastal areas, shrimp culture grew exponentially over the last three decades. This process has produced an intense debate on the economic benefits but also about the extent and intensity of the impact of this activity on the coastal ecosystems, particularly the effects of pond construction on mangrove areas and other coastal wetlands. For the Northern coast of Sinaloa (Northwest Mexico), a region where shrimp culture is actively practiced and reproduces most of the shrimp controlled production model in Mexico, a land cover change-detection analysis, with Landsat images, outputs that 75% of the shrimp farming in this region has been built on saltmarshes while less than 1% was constructed on mangrove areas. Through the estimation of landscape metrics for different scenarios (with and without shrimp culture infrastructure), we find that in addition to direct removal of saltmarshes, shrimp aquaculture has significantly modified the spatial patterns of coastal wetlands, retreating wetland borders and fragmenting their patches. These last impacts are mainly related with the development of the linear infrastructure associated with shrimp culture (drainage channels and roads), rather than the construction of the ponds. Present findings and other from similar studies done in Northwest Mexico; allow us to estimate that 60% of shrimp farming in Mexico impacted directly on saltmarshes, contrasting with the 3% of shrimp farms built on mangroves.     

Landform instability and land-use dynamics in tropical high mountains, Central Mexico

This investigation is an analysis of the influence of landform instability on the distribution of land-use dynamics in a hydrographical basin, located in the Mexican Volcanic Belt mountain range (central Mexico), currently affected by substantial changes in land use and deforestation. A landform map was produced, in addition to seven attribute maps - altimetry, drainage density, slope, relief energy, potential erosion, geology and tectonics - which were considered as factors for determining landform instability through Multi-criteria Evaluation Analysis. Likewise, the direction and rhythm of land-use dynamics were analyzed in four dates - between 1976 and 2000 - and cross tabulations were made between them, in order to analyze the trends and processes of land-use dynamics. Afterwards, the databases obtained were cross tabulated with the landform variables to derive areas, percentages and correlation indices. In the study area, high-instability landforms are associated with most ancient volcanic and sedimentary landforms, where high altitude, drainage density, slope and potential to develop gravitational and fluvial processes are the major factors favouring a land-use pattern, dominated by the conservation of extensive forest land, abandonment of human land use and regeneration of disturbed areas. In contrast, low-instability landforms correspond to alluvial plains and lava hills covered by pyroclasts, where low potential erosion to develop fluvial processes, added to water and soil availability and accessibility, have favoured a land-use pattern dominated by the expansion of agroforestry plantations and human settlements, showing a marked trend towards either intensification or permanence of the current land use and with little abandonment and regeneration.     

Use of LIF for Real-Time In-Situ Mixed NAPL Source Zone Detection

The site characterization and analysis cone penetrometer system (SCAPS), equipped with realtime fluorophore detection capabilities, was used to delineate subsurface contaminant releases in an area where plating shop waste was temporarily stored. Records indicated that various nonaqueous phase liquids (NAPLs) were released at the site. The investigators advanced the SCAPS laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) sensor to depths beneath the water table of the principal water-bearing zone. The water table was located approximately 6 feet (1.8 m) below ground surface (bgs) across the site. Fluorescence, attributed to fuel compounds commingled with chlorinated solvents, was observed at depths ranging from 4.0 to 11.5 feet (1.2 to 3.5 m) bgs. Fluorescence, attributed to naturally occurring organic materials (by process of elimination and spectral characteristics) commingled with chlorinated solvent constituents, was observed at depths ranging from approximately 13 to 40 feet (4.0 to 12.2 m) bgs. Fluorescence responses from compounds confirmed to be commingled with chlorinated solvents indicates that the SCAPS fluorophore detection system is capable of indirectly delineating vadose zone and subaqueous chlorinated solvents and other dense nonaqueous phase liquids (DNAPLs) at contaminant release sites. This confirmation effort represents the first documented account of the successful application of LIF to identify a mixed DNAPL/LNAPL source zone.     

Geochemical Evidence for Slab Melting in the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt

Geochemical studies of Plio-Quaternary volcanic rocks from theValle de Bravo–Zitácuaro volcanic field (VBZ) incentral Mexico indicate that slab melting plays a key role inthe petrogenesis of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt. Rocks fromthe VBZ are typical arc-related high-Mg andesites, but two differentrock suites with distinct trace element patterns and isotopiccompositions erupted concurrently in the area, with a traceelement character that is also distinct from that of other Mexicanvolcanoes. The geochemical differences between the VBZ suitescannot be explained by simple crystal fractionation and/or crustalassimilation of a common primitive magma, but can be reconciledby the participation of different proportions of melts derivedfrom the subducted basalt and sediments interacting with themantle wedge. Sr/Y and Sr/Pb ratios of the VBZ rocks correlateinversely with Pb and Sr isotopic compositions, indicating thatthe Sr and Pb budgets are strongly controlled by melt additionsfrom the subducted slab. In contrast, an inverse correlationbetween Pb(Th)/Nd and ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd ratios, which extend to lowerisotopic values than those for Pacific mid-ocean ridge basalts,indicates the participation of an enriched mantle wedge thatis similar to the source of Mexican intraplate basalts. In addition,a systematic decrease in middle and heavy rare earth concentrationsand Nb/Ta ratios with increasing SiO₂ contents in the VBZ rocksis best explained if these elements are mobilized to some extentin the subduction flux, and suggests that slab partial fusionoccurred under garnet amphibolite-facies conditions. KEY WORDS: arcs; mantle; Mexico; sediment melting; slab melting     

The Beach Environment in Mexico as a Potential Source of Placer Minerals

The potential of Mexico for placer minerals in beach sediments has been analyzed, taking into consideration the geomorphic, tectonic, and lithologic conditions of nine different coastal regions. Besides, the textural characteristics of average size and degree of classification, carbonate content was also considered as a measure of terrigenous influence. It is concluded that mineral bearing rocks in the source area, and well-classified fine sands, poor in carbonates, in the beach area represent the major potential for placer minerals. Favorable conditions for placer minerals may be present in Regions 2 and 3 in the Central and Southern portion of the Gulf of Mexico coast, and have their highest potential in Regions 6, 7, 8, and 9 in the Gulf of California and along the Western mainland coast from the Colorado River in the North to the Guatamalan border in the South.