The natural components of Sonora are flora, minerals, animals, and forest resources, among others. Despite having an arid land and a climate that reaches extremes, the state is rich in natural resources, since it is made up of a very large diversity of ecosystems.
The state encompasses five natural regions. These range from deserts to temperate forests and have more than 5,340 species of flora and fauna.
Sonora is located in the extreme northwest of the Mexican Republic.
Main natural components of Sonora
Mineral components
Within the Mexican Republic, Sonora is the leading state in mining productivity. The main products that are extracted from the mines are copper, coal, graphite, anthracite, wollastonite and it is the only producer in the country of molybdenum.
Additionally, 24% of Mexico's gold is produced in Sonora. It is also a major producer of silver and iron. Other non-metallic minerals that are produced are barite, silica, gypsum, salt, and zeolites.
The Sonoran territory has more than 5,000 mining concessions, which comprise 23% of its surface.
That is, it is greater than the sum of the area of the states of Querétaro, Mexico City, Aguascalientes, Colima, Morelos, Tlaxcala and Hidalgo.
Forest resources
The National Forestry Commission divides Mexico's forest resources into two: timber and non-timber.
In Sonora, wood is the most exploited product that is extracted from forests, jungles, and bushes. At the top of the mountain there are forests of pine, fir and oak.
For the non-timber we have, for example, the agave, the cacti, the chiltepin and the oregano.
Fauna
Cimarrón, wolf, fox, hare, shrew, sheep, boa, snakes, royal snake, coral reef, rattlesnake and tortoise, can be found in the bush and grassland area. On the other hand, in the dry forest there are yagouaroundi pumas.
In the case of aquatic environments, the following species are found: minor, gray, blue and humpback whales, dolphins and killer whales.
Endangered animals are the porcupine, the vaquita porpoise, the prairie dog, the tiger, the ocelot, and the jaguar.
Flora
In Sonora, bushes prevail in the coastal plain, to the northwest and central region. In addition, there are jungles in the southeast and they are followed by sub-tropical scrub.
On the other hand, there are grasslands that are located to the north. On the border with Chihuahua are temperate forests. There are also mosques in the intermittent stream beds, mainly in the east and northeast portion.
In the case of the vegetation of the coastal dunes, it is distributed along the coastlines. In the plain, the main plant species are xerophytic plants such as mesquite, tumbleweed, ironwood, greenwood and hump.
According to INEGI, in Sonora agriculture covers 6% of the state territory.
References
- XXI century (January, 2006). "Management, conservation and restoration of natural resources in Mexico: perspectives from scientific research", Víctor Manuel Toledo, Ken Oyama, Alicia Castillo.
- CONABIO (sf), "Flora and Fauna of Sonora" Cuentame.inegi.org.mx.
- Government of the State of Sonora (2006-2021) "Sonora in Mining" economiasonora.gob.mx/portal/minero
- However (June, 2014). "Sonora has 5,340 species of flora and fauna"
- SEMARNAT, «Catalog of timber and non-timber forest resources» (nd). conafor.gob.mx/biblioteca/Catalogo_de_recursos_forestales_M_y_N.pdf