- Why is Mexico a megadiverse country?
- Coasts in the Atlantic and in the Pacific
- Geographical position
- Diversity of landscapes
- Isolation
- Size
- Evolutionary history
- Culture
- Mexico, a country of various ecosystems
- Evergreen High Forest or Tropical Evergreen Forest
- Medium Forest or Subdeciduous Tropical Forest
- Low Forest or Tropical Deciduous Forest
- Others
- References
Mexico is a megadiverse country because it meets the parameters of flora, fauna or climate that this concept requires. The Central American country is within an exclusive group of nations that has 70% of the diversity of plants and animals on our planet.
The other megadiverse countries are Colombia, Peru, Congo, China, Malaysia, Australia, Indonesia, India, Madagascar, Ecuador and Brazil, although for many experts, South Africa, the United States, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea can also be classified in this group. and Venezuela.
The countries with the greatest biodiversity are in the intertropical zone, while towards the more temperate regions the variety is less. Mexico, due to its intertropical location, and because it has coasts in both the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean, is one of the countries with the greatest biodiversity on the planet.
Below we will observe some characteristics that make Mexico have a favorite place in this select group
Why is Mexico a megadiverse country?
Coasts in the Atlantic and in the Pacific
Like Colombia and the United States, Mexico makes up the small group of megadiverse countries with coasts on both oceans.
Along its coasts you can find a variety of ecosystems such as mangroves, estuaries, coastal lagoons, and coral reefs.
Geographical position
The area of the planet where the greatest number of varieties of species is concentrated is the intertropical zone, where Mexico is located.
6 million years ago, North and South America met with Mexico being the contact area. Many species that were typical of each area were found in the same place.
During the last ice age, many species migrated from warmer to warmer places. This forced migration caused isolation and subsequently the origin of new species, which began to expand once the climate became appropriate again.
Diversity of landscapes
The Mexican topography, which has both mountains and flat and wooded areas, is also a determining factor in the proliferation of a great variety of species.
Additionally, Mexico has many coasts in both the Pacific and the Atlantic. Mexico treasures abundant mangroves and tropical forests that are home to numerous species of plants and animals. A high percentage of them are endemic species, mostly reptiles.
Isolation
As mentioned above, Mexico was the meeting point of two separate continents, each with unique species groups.
Size
The more extensive a region, the more likely it is to have different types of animal and plant species.
In the case of Mexico, its extension is really considerable, since with its 1,972,550 km² it is ranked number 14 in the world among the largest countries.
It is estimated that around 10% of the planet's biodiversity is in Mexico. Regarding the number of species, Mexico ranks fifth in plants, fourth in amphibians, second in mammals and first in reptiles.
Evolutionary history
The main characteristic that Mexico has is to be at the meeting point of two biogeographic zones, making it possible to meet two different types of fauna and flora. In this case, the areas are called nearctic and neotropical.
Culture
It refers to the customs of the inhabitants in terms of the conservation of their ecosystems. In the case of Mexico, the culture of species formation is recent, however the domestication of animals and plants has contributed to increasing the natural wealth.
Mexico, a country of various ecosystems
Being a mega diverse country has the advantage that its ecosystem becomes more resistant to external disturbances.
Biodiversity helps maintain the natural balance of the environment. When one species is affected, the food chain is damaged and all species suffer. When there is biodiversity, this does not happen or the impact is less.
Biodiversity helps provide natural resources to society. Food mainly. This can be seen in agriculture and fishing.
In Mexico the complete species inventory has not been completed. As discoveries of new species are made, and research areas expand, the total number of existing species may increase.
The existence of numerous ecosystems in the region is also very important in terms of some aspects that are usually little known.
Mention has already been made of food, however, the capture of drinking water, the formation of the soil in the cultivation areas, the absorption of carbon dioxide by the vegetation, the control of floods, the protection of coastal areas and many more, without which the population would see its well-being and growth greatly compromised.
According to wikipedial.org, some of the ecosystems with the greatest biological biodiversity in Mexico are:
Evergreen High Forest or Tropical Evergreen Forest
It is located in the regions of Huasteca, in the southeast of San Luis Potosí, north of Hidalgo and Veracruz, up to Campeche and Quintana Roo, encompassing portions of Oaxaca, Chiapas and Tabasco.
Medium Forest or Subdeciduous Tropical Forest
It is located in the center of Sinaloa to the coastal zone of Chiapas, along the Pacific slope and forms a narrow strip that covers part of Yucatán, Quintana Roo and Campeche, with some isolated patches in Veracruz and Tamaulipas.
Low Forest or Tropical Deciduous Forest
It is located in southern Sonora and southwest Chihuahua to Chiapas, as well as part of Baja California Sur.
On the Gulf slope, there are three major isolated strips: one in Tamaulipas, San Luis Potosí and northern Veracruz, another in central Veracruz and one more in Yucatán and Campeche.
Others
The Thorny Forest without a specific location since it is scattered throughout the national territory.
The Xerophilous Thicket located in arid areas.
The Pasture located in the vicinity of rivers and streams.
La Sabana along the Pacific Coast, on the Isthmus of Tehuantepec and along the Gulf Coastal Plain in Veracruz and Tabasco.
The Pradera de Alta Montaña located in the north of the Mexican plateau, as well as in the plains of Apan and San Juan, in the states of Hidalgo and Puebla.
The Encino Forest located in almost the entire country.
The Coniferous Forest distributed in the mountains and volcanoes
The Mesophilic Mountain Forest or Forest of Fog distributed by the Sierra Madre Oriental, from the southwest of Tamaulipas to the north of Oaxaca and Chiapas and on the Pacific side from the north of Sinaloa to Chiapas, also found in small patches in the Valley from Mexico.
The wetlands both marine, estuarine, lacustrine, coastal, marsh and artificially created.
References
- Causes of Megadiversity in Mexico. Recovered from: vivanatura.org.
- Biodiversity; its benefits to people and the environment. Recovered from: scsoft.de.
- 17 Most Ecologically Diverse Countries on Earth. Recovered from: worldatlas.com.
- What is a mega diverse country? Recovered from: biodiversity.gob.mx.
- Why is Mexico a mega diverse country? Recovered from: mexico-megadiverso.blogspot.com.
- Why is Mexico mega diverse? Recovered from: teorema.com.mx.