Petén-Veracruz moist forests

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This moist forest ecoregion is situated in the state of Tabasco, Mexico, and consists of a matrix of wetlands, riparian habitats, and moist forests. Species richness is high, although endemism is relatively low. The soils of this ecoregion are some of the most productive in the country, and are therefore highly desirable to local agriculture. Much of the habitat has been cultivated for agriculture due to this, and it is estimated that only eight percent of the original habitat remains.

  • Scientific Code
    (NT0154)
  • Ecoregion Category
    Neotropical
  • Size
    57,600 square miles
  • Status
    Critical/Endangered
  • Habitats

Description


Location and General Description

Biodiversity Features

Current Status

Types and Severity of Threats

Justification of Ecoregion Delineation
This wetland ecoregion occurs in the coastal plains of the states of Tabasco and Campeche, Mexico. Delineation for this ecoregion were derived from expert opinion during several ecoregion priority setting workshops (CONABIO 1996 and 1997) and delineation’s of the Ramsar site (Ramsar database). Reference was made to the INEGI (1996) map, and consultations were made with regional experts (Rzedowski pers. comm.). The area is considered to have one of the most important aquatic vascular floras of Mesoamerica.

References
CONABIO Workshop, 17-16 September, 1996. Informe de Resultados del Taller de Ecoregionalización para la Conservación de México.

CONABIO Workshop, Mexico, D.F., November 1997. Ecological and Biogeographical Regionalization of Mexico.

INEGI Map. 1996. Comision Nacional Para el Conocimiento y Uso de la Biodiversidad (CONABIO) habitat and land use classification database derived from ground truthed remote sensing data Insitituto Nacional de Estastica, Geografia, e Informática (INEGI). Map at a scale of 1:1,000,000.

Ramsar database. 1999. Web based database: http://www.wetlands.agro.nl/ramsar_database.

Rzedowski, J. pers.comm. at CONABIO Workshop, 17-16 September, 1996. Informe de Resultados del Taller de Ecoregionalización para la Conservación de México.

Prepared by: Alejandra Valero, Jan Schipper, and Tom Allnutt
Reviewed by: In Process