Ecology and Man in Mexico's Central Volcanoes Area

The main activities of the economically active population around The Iztaccíhuatl and Popocatépetl volcanoes region lie in the primary sector (65- 90%). Of the people working in this sector, those dependent on agricultural or pastoral activities generally have an income significantly lower than the minimum wage in Mexico. Of the activities in the area, these agricultural, pastoral, and forestry activities probably have the most direct effect on the ecology of the volcanoes and its immediate surroundings. Traditional farmers, producing crops such as beans, pumpkins and cucumbers, generally work on small fields using traditional methods and animal traction. Modern farming, geared towards intensive production develops on larger sites making use of modern machinery, fertilizers, and pesticides. As the area under agriculture continues to increase every year, the attendant opening of large forested areas, soil modification, and ensuing erosion make it almost impossible for forest recovery. Extensive forestry in the region mainly concerns cutting and collecting wood, cutting Pinus-branches for torches or for utensils for open-fire cooking, collection of mushrooms, and hunting. Although these (often clandestine) activities seem to be small-scale, their adverse effects on the forest have been substantial. Weekend visitors from Mexico City heavily dominate recreation, with tourism concentrated near the roads leading to and inside the park. Lacking organization and facilities, most recreational activities have had significant environmental impact on the area In many countries, the decline of nature has occurred because of changes in land use.

Integrates the different methods of collecting ecological data up to the level of developing management plans and decision making Provides a synthesis of fundamental and applied ecology of tropical montane forest ecosystems

Klappentext

This book shows numerous methodologies for collecting, processing and analyzing data from natural area, illustrating it in applications to Mexico's Iztaccíhuatl-Popocatépetl National Park. The book is written for ecologists, geographers, graduate biology students and natural resource managers. It therefore responds directly and primarily to their viewpoints and objectives. However, since ecosystem management and decisions about natural-area preservation take place within socioeconomic and political environments that are dynamic and plural, conflicts with those objectives are sure to arise. Therefore, the last chapter goes beyond managers' objectives and viewpoints per se to explore and respond to potential conflicts. CD-Rom is included in the book.

Inhalt
Mexico's central volcanoes area: an introduction.- Classification and mapping of the vegetation using field observations and remote sensing.- Man-induced changes in vegetation cover in the Iztaccíhuatl-Popocatepetl Region.- Birds of the Iztaccíhuatl-Popocatépetl National Park and their significance for ecotourism.- Effects of habitat fragmentation on the mammalian assemblage at the Iztaccíhuatl and Popocatépetl Volcanoes, Mexico.- Dynamics of plant communities in the Iztaccíhuatl - Popocatépetl National Park.- Remote Sensing biomass of forested ecosystems: Modelling the carbon cycle of the Iztacchíuatl - Popocatípetl National Park, Míxico.- Strategic Planning of the Iztaccíhuatl-Popocatépetl National Park.- Ecology and Man: Synthesis.