Fungal spores in Caribbean mangrove sediments, dataset from southeastern Mexico.

Most paleoecological investigations use different biotic or abiotic proxies for climate and environmental reconstructions. Although fossil pollen is one of the most used biological proxies, Non-Pollen Palynomorphs (NPPs), especially fungal spores and tissues, have an underestimated potential to infer local and regional climate dynamics. This dataset describes the most common Non-pollen palynomorphs of fungal origin from mangrove sediments in the Caribbean Sea, southeastern Mexico. A detailed descriptive Atlas is presented, with light micrographs taken from routine pollen slides in paleoecological reconstructions. Microphotographs were included to facilitate their identification. A total of 59 spores, 4 tissues, 2 hyphae, and 11 unidentified fungal palynomorphs are described.

Maize and ancient Maya droughts.

The ancient Maya culture of Mesoamerica shaped landscapes for centuries, in an area where maize (Zea mays) cultivation is considered a fundamental crop in the diet of present and ancient Mesoamerican cultures. Pollen records from sites with different environmental and climatic conditions of the Yucatán Peninsula (Mexico) and Peten (Guatemala) evidence a clear relationship between increased maize pollen and periods of reduced precipitation caused by El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) while moist periods are characterized by low maize pollen presence. ENSO conditions were not evenly distributed across the Yucatán Peninsula, and regional droughts vary according to regional climate and geographical conditions. Our results indicate a strong relationship of increased maize and tropical forest decrease with dry periods, while the Late Preclassic Humid Period (ca. 500-200 BCE) is characterized by the absence of maize pollen. The dry Late Preclassic (300 BCE-250 CE) was a key period for increased maize production, suggesting a new conceptualization of maize. Maize changed from a basic diet crop to a pragmatic product to face adverse environmental conditions.

El Niño-Southern Oscillation affects the water relations of tree species in the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico.

We evaluated the effect of ENSO 2015/16 on the water relations of eight tree species in seasonally dry tropical forests of the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. The functional traits: wood density, relative water content in wood, xylem water potential and specific leaf area were recorded during the rainy season and compared in three consecutive years: 2015 (pre-ENSO conditions), 2016 (ENSO conditions) and 2017 (post-ENSO conditions). We analyzed tree size on the capacity to respond to water deficit, considering young and mature trees, and if this response is distinctive in species with different leaf patterns in seasonally dry tropical forests distributed along a precipitation gradient (700-1200 mm year-1). These traits showed a strong decrease in all species in response to water stress in 2016, mainly in the driest site. Deciduous species had lower wood density, higher predawn water potential and higher specific leaf area than evergreen species. In all cases, mature trees were more tolerant to drought. In the driest site, there was a significant reduction in water status, regardless of their leaf phenology, indicating that seasonally dry tropical forests are highly vulnerable to ENSO. Vulnerability of deciduous species is intensified in the driest areas and in the youngest trees.

Secondary Succession under invasive species (Pteridium aquilinum) conditions in a seasonal dry tropical forest in southeastern Mexico.

The role of invasive species in ecosystem functioning represents one of the main challenges in ecology. Pteridium aquilinum is a successful cosmopolitan invasive species with negative effects on the ecological mechanisms that allow secondary succession. In this study, we evaluated the influence of P. aquilinumon secondary succession under different disturbances in a seasonal dry forest of the Yucatán Peninsula. We determined species richness, composition and the relative importance value in four sampling units. Fabaceae followed by Asteraceae, Meliaceae, Rubiaceae, Sapindaceae and Verbenaceae were the most species rich families. A dissimilarity analysis determined significant differences in beta diversity between sampling units. With a generalized linear model we found that species richness was best explained by site conditions, followed by calcium and soil organic matter. Also, the generalized linear model showed that abundance resulted in a strong correlation with site conditions and soil characteristics. Specific soil conditions related to phosphoro and calcium were also detected as beneficiary to the successional processes. Our results suggest that applying fire restriction and periodic cutting of the bracken fern, this can increase a higher diversity of species.

Land use and biotic integrity in shallow streams of the Hondo River basin, Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico / Uso del suelo e integridad biótica en arroyos someros de la cuenca del río Hondo, península de Yucatán, México

Abstract Aquatic environments face a variety of threats in the Hondo River basin, Southeastern Yucatán Peninsula. Some of these impacts, like pollution by pesticides, may depend on land use and cover. Our objective was to assess the effect of land use/cover using a previously published index of biotic integrity (IBI), based on fishes and designed for shallow streams in the Hondo River basin. Our hypothesis was that land uses that cause deforestation and pollution, such as urbanization, cattle breeding, or sugar cane fields, would be reflected in low IBI values, at least at some spatial scales. The 23 sites originally used in 2008-2009 to estimate by electrofishing the relative abundance and other characteristics of selected fish species and guilds to construct the IBI, were revisited in February 2010, to validate by direct inspection the type of land use/cover suggested by landscape information in digital databases. We analyzed the effect of seven types of land use/cover (agriculture, pasture, human settlements, water bodies, wetlands, forest, and secondary vegetation) on the IBI values, at four spatial scales, i.e., the percent of every land use/cover at progressively larger circles (125, 250, 500, and 1 000 m diameter) centered on the water body where the IBI value was measured. Correlations were established among the percent land/use cover by scale around 23 sites, and with their corresponding IBI values. Then, Student's t tests were calculated to examine significant differences in land use/cover between groups of localities above and below the median IBI value, and Mann-Whitney's U tests were applied to compare IBI values between localities with andwithout a given landscape cover. Agriculture, human settlements, and secondary vegetation correlated negatively with the IBI; forests positively. Differences were significant (p<0.05) for forest (higher in sites with higher IBI values) and human settlements (lower in sites with higher IBI). Of all the landscape categories located in the Hondo River basin, with the exception of pasture, those of anthropogenic origin tended to be detrimental to aquatic biotic integrity.

Resumen Los ambientes acuáticos en la cuenca del río Hondo, sureste de la península de Yucatán, enfrentan diversas amenazas. Algunos de estos impactos, e.g. contaminación por plaguicidas, pueden depender del uso de suelo o cobertura. El objetivo fue evaluar el efecto del uso del suelo/cobertura sobre un índice biótico de integridad (IBI) basado en peces, publicado previamente, diseñado para arroyos someros en esta cuenca. La hipótesis era que los usos del suelo que involucran deforestación y contaminación, entre ellos urbanización, ganadería o cultivo de caña de azúcar, se verían reflejados en valores bajos del IBI, por lo menos a ciertas escalas espaciales. Los 23 sitios usados originalmente para estimar por electropesca la abundancia relativa y otras características de especies y gremios selectos de peces, para construir el IBI, fueron visitados de nuevo en febrero 2010 para validar por inspección directa el tipo de uso del suelo/cobertura sugerido por la información de paisaje en bases de datos digitales. Se analizó el efecto de siete tipos de uso del suelo/cobertura (agricultura, ganadería, asentamientos humanos, cuerpos de agua, humedales, bosque y vegetación secundaria) sobre los valores del IBI, a cuatro escalas espaciales, i.e., el porcentaje de cada uso del suelo/cobertura en círculos progresivamente mayores (125, 250, 500 y 1 000 m de diámetro) centrados en el cuerpo de agua donde se midió el valor del IBI. Los porcentajes de uso del suelo/cobertura por escala se correlacionaron entre sí y con los valores correspondientes del IBI para explorar su asociación; luego, mediante pruebas t de Student se buscaron diferencias significativas en cobertura entre grupos de localidades por encima y por debajo del valor mediano del IBI, así como pruebas U de Mann-Whitney para comparar valores del IBI entre localidades con o sin una cobertura dada. La agricultura, asentamientos humanos y vegetación secundaria mostraron una relación negativa con el IBI, lo cual sugiere un impacto de las actividades humanas sobre la salud de los ecosistemas acuáticos. Las diferencias fueron significativas para el bosque (mayor en sitios con mejor integridad acuática) y los asentamientos humanos (menor en sitios con mayor valor del IBI). De todas las clases paisajísticas en la cuenca del río Hondo, las de origen antrópico, excepto los pastizales para ganadería, tendieron a ser perjudiciales para la integridad biótica acuática.

3800 Years of quantitative precipitation reconstruction from the Northwest Yucatan Peninsula.

Precipitation over the last 3800 years has been reconstructed using modern pollen calibration and precipitation data. A transfer function was then performed via the linear method of partial least squares. By calculating precipitation anomalies, it is estimated that precipitation deficits were greater than surpluses, reaching 21% and <9%, respectively. The period from 50 BC to 800 AD was the driest of the record. The drought related to the abandonment of the Maya Preclassic period featured a 21% reduction in precipitation, while the drought of the Maya collapse (800 to 860 AD) featured a reduction of 18%. The Medieval Climatic Anomaly was a period of positive phases (3.8-7.6%). The Little Ice Age was a period of climatic variability, with reductions in precipitation but without deficits.

Influencia de factores ambientales en la distribución de especies arbóreas en las selvas del sureste de México / Influence of environmental factors on the distribution of tree species in the forests of south-eastern Mexico

We studied the relationship between the distribution of tree species and environmental factors in the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve, south-eastern Mexico. Our main objective was to examine how changes in microtopography and edaphic factors influence the distribution of tree species of medium and low-statured forests. We established 17 plots of 625 m2 and collected data on spatial distribution of individuals with dbh > 5 cm, and the following soil variables: electric conductivity (CE), cationic exchange capacity (CEC), textural class, pH, organic matter (MO), total nitrogen (Nt) and phosphorus availability (P). We used Twinspan to classify the plots and applied indirect (DCA) and direct (CCA) gradient analysis. We found 84 species and 4 433 individuals. MO, texture and CEC varied significantly (p < 0.05) between the high and low parts. DCA and CCA indicated that the species distribution is strongly influenced by the microtopography gradient and the textural class. Using DCA and CCA exclusively on the data of the low parts, two low statured forest types were identified: one characteristic of low zones (soil slightly basic and high percentage of clay), the other surrounded by medium statured forest (soil slightly acid, high CEC, MO and clay).

Se estableció la relación entre la distribución de las especies arbóreas de la selva mediana y baja y los factores edáficos y microtopográficos en la Reserva de la Biosfera de Sian Ka’an. En 17 sitios de muestro de 625 m2 cada uno, se registró la presencia y disposición espacial de los individuos que presentaron un DAP > a 5 cm y las variables edáficas de conductividad eléctrica (CE), capacidad de intercambio catiónico (CIC), clase textural, pH, materia orgánica (MO), nitrógeno total (Nt) y fósforo disponible (P). Para la clasificación de los sitios de muestreo por similitud florística, se empleó el análisis de Twinspan y para la ordenación, los análisis de gradiente indirecto y directo (ACD y ACC, respectivamente). Se registró un total de 4 433 individuos en 84 especies. Aunque la microtopografía es moderada en el área de estudio, diferentes factores edáficos (CIC,arcilla y MO) variaron significativamente (P < 0.05) entre las zonas altas y bajas. Una primera aproximación del ACD y ACC con el total de los datos establece que la distribución de las especies esta determinada por el gradiente microtopográfico y la clase textural. Al realizar una segunda aproximación del ACD y ACC, empleándose solo datos de la zona baja, se muestran dos grupos florísticamente diferentes, uno influenciado por pH ligeramente ácido, alta CIC, MO y arcilla, rodeado de una selva mediana; el otro grupo registra pH básico y alto porcentaje de limo, y se localiza cerca de una selva baja inundable. Las condiciones microtopográficas y edáficas son ecológicamente significativas, ya que están altamente correlacionados con la distribución de las especies vegetales y con las características de la estructura de las comunidades tropicales

[Influence of environmental factors on the distribution of tree species in the forests of south-eastern Mexico]. / Influencia de factores ambientales en la distribución de especies arbóreas en las selvas del sureste de México.

We studied the relationship between the distribution of tree species and environmental factors in the Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve, south-eastern Mexico. Our main objective was to examine how changes in microtopography and edaphic factors influence the distribution of tree species of medium and low-statured forests. We established 17 plots of 625 m2 and collected data on spatial distribution of individuals with dbh > or = 5 cm, and the following soil variables: electric conductivity (CE), cationic exchange capacity (CEC), textural class, pH, organic matter (MO), total nitrogen (Nt) and phosphorus availability (P). We used Twinspan to classify the plots and applied indirect (DCA) and direct (CCA) gradient analysis. We found 84 species and 4 433 individuals. MO, texture and CEC varied significantly (p< or =0.05) between the high and low parts. DCA and CCA indicated that the species distribution is strongly influenced by the microtopography gradient and the textural class. Using DCA and CCA exclusively on the data of the low parts, two low statured forest types were identified: one characteristic of low zones (soil slightly basic and high percentage of clay), the other surrounded by medium statured forest (soil slightly acid, high CEC, MO and clay).