Papers by Atahualpa Sosa Lopez
Marine Ecology Progress Series, 2008
Revista de Biología Tropical, 2013
La Reserva de la Biósfera Los Petenes constituye un hábitat crítico para una gran diversidad de e... more La Reserva de la Biósfera Los Petenes constituye un hábitat crítico para una gran diversidad de especies de peces, la zona de pastos marinos es utilizada con fines de alimentación, protección, crianza y refugio temporal. El objetivo es analizar la estructura espacio-temporal de la comunidad de peces y su relación con la variabilidad ambiental e identificar las especies dominantes. Se realizaron 12 muestreos mensuales en 24 sitios a partir de mayo 2009 hasta abril 2010. Se realizaron 288 arrastres, se capturó un total de 21 795 organismos con un peso total de 279.5 kg. Se identificaron 46 especies de peces (34 géneros y 23 familias). Los intervalos de variación espacial de la abundancia fueron: 0.018-0.094ind./m²; 0.249-1.072g/m² y 9.75-19.32g/ind. Los índices de diversidad fueron: Hn=1.46-2.15bits/ind., J=0.45-0.71 y D=2.08-3.92. La variación temporal de la abundancia y diversidad fue de 0.026-0.066ind./m²; 0.342-0.764g/m² y 6.49-22.98g/ind. Hn=1.76-2.08; J=0.52-0.64 y D=3.07-4.18. ...
Background Here we present an occurrence dataset that contributes to the knowledge of tropical fi... more Background Here we present an occurrence dataset that contributes to the knowledge of tropical fish distribution in coastal habitats from the Terminos Lagoon Flora and Fauna Protection Area, one of the largest lagoon ecosystems in the Gulf of Mexico. Fish are high biomass keystone species in the Terminos Lagoon which provide socio-economic and ecosystem services. An initiative in 1980 was carried out to systematically sample the fish community of Terminos Lagoon for an annual cycle; the effectiveness of its results led to replicate in the lagoon the same sampling design for three more campaigns in 1998, 2010 and 2016. Constituted as a Flora and Fauna Protection Area in 1994, the Terminos Lagoon has received many efforts to inventory its biodiversity, particularly on the fish community since the 70s; however, these studies did not have consistent survey protocols, nor the longevity of the present study, which was over four decades. New information A total of 141 fish species, belongi...
Marine Ecology Progress Series, 2007
The number of fish species in subtropical and tropical estuaries is much greater than in temperat... more The number of fish species in subtropical and tropical estuaries is much greater than in temperate regions and is greater in large estuaries than in small ones. Thus, large estuaries of the tropics are of primary interest for biodiversity conservation, and the processes underpinning the distribution of fish diversity in these ecosystems deserve attention. Factors controlling biodiversity patterns have been the focus of numerous recent investigations and include species interactions, speciation, environmental gradients and heterogeneity, with all of these operating differently at each observation scale. Today, the question is no longer whether particular biodiversity patterns occur, but why they occur and whether they are consistent across scales and organisms under study. In this study we combined the results of 2 classical ecological patterns, namely diversity-biomass relationships and species co-occurrences, into a common framework. Fish sampling was carried out in the coastal Terminos Lagoon (southern Gulf of Mexico) during 2 periods (1980-1981 and 1998-1999) using 408 tows. A total of 22 834 individuals representing 106 fish species were collected. Our study revealed that both diversity-biomass relationships and species co-occurrences show inconsistent patterns across years, seasons and zones. However, taken together, our results show that C-score values, which measure spatiotemporal segregation among species, were closely related to the shape of observed richness-biomass relationships. When fish assemblages showed positive C-score values (species segregation), the relationship between species richness and fish biomass was either humpshaped or non-significant. Conversely, negative C-score values (species aggregation) were associated with an increase in fish species richness along the total biomass gradient. Our results support the idea that species segregation due to competition or spatiotemporal partitioning can be an important determinant of biodiversity patterns in species-rich tropical fish assemblages, but only during some periods and for some spatial strata.
Revista De Biologia Tropical, Mar 1, 2013
Distribution and abundance of fish community in the littoral area of "Los Petenes" Biosphere Rese... more Distribution and abundance of fish community in the littoral area of "Los Petenes" Biosphere Reserve, Campeche, Mexico. "Los Petenes" Biosphere Reserve (RBLP) is a critical habitat for many aquatic and terrestrial species. It has the biggest and better conserved seagrass beds, and it represents an important habitat for food, protection and breeding of aquatic organisms, and a temporal refuge for migratory species. The objective of this study was to describe the ichthyofauna diversity in the littoral coastal area of the RBLP, to identify the ecological dominant species, and to analyze the abundance of the fish community and its temporal and spatial changes, and their relationship with some environmental variables. Monthly fish samples were obtained with the aid of trawl nets, from 24 samplings sites distributed along the reserve, between May 2009 and April 2010. The trawl net was operated 288 times and 21 795 individuals with 279.5kg of weight were collected. A total of 46 fish species grouped in 34 genera and 23 families were identified. In a spatial scale, the abundance showed the next ranges: 0.018-0.094ind./m 2 ; 0.249-1.072 g/m 2 and 9.75-19.32g/ind.; the diversity indexes obtained were: H'n=1.46-2.15, J'=0.45-0.71 and D'=2.08-3.92. In a temporal scale, the abundance and diversity ranged between: 0.026-0.066ind./m 2 ; 0.342-0.764g/m 2 and 6.49-22.98g/ind.; H'n=1.76-2.08; J'=0.52-0.64 and D'=3.07-4.18. Eleven dominant species were identified with a representation of the 94.39% in number of individuals, and 89.66% in weight of the total catch. From the total, eight species had economic or commercial importance, especially Lagodon rhomboides and Haemulon plumierii. The cluster analyses identified four fish associations; these results are discussed in order to identify relationships between habitat-species. Finally, the canonical correspondence analysis evidenced an association between H. plumierii with salinity and dissolved solids. The RBLP has high habitat diversity and its fish community has developed strategies to use all the spatial and temporal conditions and to satisfy the needs of their life cycles.
Isótopos Estables (δ15N y δ13C) en organismos filtradores como trazadores de contaminación: un caso de estudio en dos lagunas costeras del sureste del golfo de California, México
Cada vez es mas frecuente el analisis de isotopos estables, quedando de manifiesto su utilidad en... more Cada vez es mas frecuente el analisis de isotopos estables, quedando de manifiesto su utilidad en el estudio de redes troficas y trazadores de contaminacion. Por otra parte, ha sido bien establecida la utilidad de los organismos filtradores como indicadores de los cambios ambientales y para monitorear la disponibilidad y/o los efectos de los contaminantes en los ecosistemas. El objetivo del presente estudio fue realizar una analisis de los trabajos realizados sobre la aplicacion de δ15N y δ13C en organismos filtradores, asi como el desarrollo de un caso de estudio mediante los valores de δ15N y δ13C en el tejido blando del ostion de mangle chino Saccostrea palmula muestreado en dos lagunas costeras del sureste del Golfo de California. Se analizaron un total de 14 muestras (cada muestra representada por un grupo de 25 ostiones) los resultados del estudio muestran que los valores isotopicos encontrados en S. palmula , reflejan la influencia de ambientes marinos y costeros, asi como...
Ecological processes and dynamics of the fish communities in the Terminos lagoon, gulf of Mexico
Journal of …, 2007
Aim To analyse the relationship between fish species richness and salinity, and to provide a simp... more Aim To analyse the relationship between fish species richness and salinity, and to provide a simple linear model for fish diversity trends across salinity gradients in a tropical coastal lagoon that can be compared with other similar ecosystems and other communities. To reinforce our conclusions, the salinity-fish richness relationship was investigated at different spatial scales (sampling station, set of stations and whole lagoon) and for two different periods, separated by 18 years. Location The Terminos coastal lagoon, a shallow tropical lagoon (mean maximum depths ranging between 3.5 and 4.5 m), is located in the southern Gulf of Mexico (18.5-18.8°N, 91.3-91.9°W). The lagoon is 70 km long and 30 km wide, with a surface area of 1700 km 2. Methods Fish sampling, individual identification to the species level, and environmental variable measurements were carried out monthly at 17 sampling points. Multiple regression analysis with a backward selection procedure was used to relate fish species richness to environmental variables. Other statistical techniques, including cluster analysis and ancova, were applied to experimental data surveys. Results Among the different environmental variables, salinity was significantly and consistently related to fish species richness, whatever the period and the scale of observation. We found mainly significant negative correlations (P < 0.05) between fish species richness and salinity when sampling stations were analysed individually, and particularly for the river runoff zones with high variation in salinity throughout the year. For the entire lagoon, robust negative linear models were observed when fish species richness was organized into salinity ranges, with salinity explaining c. 8% of the variation in mean fish species richness (in a multiple regression analysis; 63-93% when considered in isolation). Main conclusions In the Terminos lagoon the relationship between fish species richness and salinity is mainly negative on any spatial scale. This result may be due partially to the penetration of freshwater fishes into estuarine areas following freshwater discharges, and partially to the dominance of estuarine taxa more able to tolerate low than high salinity values. Finally, we suggest that the 'realized' ecotone, where species from different origins really mix, is situated between 5 and 10&, corresponding to the highest fish richness.
Functional and Structural Food Web Comparison of Terminos Lagoon, Mexico in Three Periods (1980, 1998, and 2011)
Estuaries and Coasts, 2015
Latin American Journal of Aquatic Research
(RBLP), en el estado mexicano de Campeche integra diversos componentes ecológicos estructurales e... more (RBLP), en el estado mexicano de Campeche integra diversos componentes ecológicos estructurales entre los que destacan los peces como la macrofauna acuática más abundante y diversa. El estudio de la estructura y funcionamiento de los peces marinos costeros está condicionado por la comprensión de la dinámica ambiental de diferente escala. En el presente estudio, se realizaron muestreos nictimerales en tres momentos del año 2009 en un sitio localizado en la región central de la RBLP con el objetivo de describir las variaciones ambientales y los cambios en la abundancia y diversidad de la ictiofauna y discutir sus asociaciones con los ciclos día-noche y las épocas climáticas de Nortes, Secas y Lluvias. Los resultados muestran diferencias significativas en el comportamiento ambiental entre las tres épocas climáticas, pero no así entre las horas de día y de noche. Se determinaron 31 especies distribuidas en 17 familias entre las cuales se destaca Haemulidae, Sparidae, Lutjanidae, Sciaenidae, Monacanthidae y Tetraodontidae por su riqueza específica. Se identificaron 12 especies dominantes siendo las más abundantes Haemulon plumierii, Lagodon romboides, Orthopristis chrysoptera y Eucinostomus gula. La mayor abundancia se registró en la época climática Nortes y la menor en Secas. En Secas, además se observaron las mayores diferencias entre día y noche. Las especies dominantes se asociaron en dos grupos que coinciden por su abundancia en horas del día y la noche, y con la variabilidad ambiental.
Ciencias Marinas
Introducción La pesquería de atún en el Pacífico es una de las más importantes de México debido a... more Introducción La pesquería de atún en el Pacífico es una de las más importantes de México debido a sus grandes volúmenes de Patrones espaciales del atún aleta amarilla (Tunnus albacares) en el Océano Pacífico Oriental: una exploración de perfiles de concentración
Marine Ecology Progress Series, 2005
Resale or republication not permitted without written consent of the publisher The Terminos Lagoo... more Resale or republication not permitted without written consent of the publisher The Terminos Lagoon in the southern Gulf of Mexico is a protected area, but it is still impacted by commercial fisheries, oil extraction, and agricultural runoff. Between 1980 and 1998, salinity has increased and taxonomic diversity of fish species has decreased. This suggests a loss of functional diversity, with possible detrimental effects on the ecosystem. Red: mangroves and tropical forest. Green: agricultural areas and grass. Dark blue: low turbidity waters; light blue: high turbidity waters.
Ecological processes and dynamics of the fish communities in the Terminos lagoon, gulf of Mexico
Http Www Theses Fr, 2005
Ecological indicators based on trophic rank distribution of a tropical fish community
Patrones espaciales del atún aleta amarilla (Tunnus albacares) en el Océano Pacífico Oriental: una exploración de perfiles de concentración Spatial patterns of the yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) in the Eastern Pacific Ocean: an exploration of concentration profiles
Evaluación de las asociaciones de peces dominantes influenciadas por el ciclo nictemeral y la variación temporal en la Reserva de la Biósfera Los Petenes, Campeche, México/ Evaluation of the asociations of dominant fish influenced by the nichthemeral cycle and temporal variations in Los Petenes B...
Análisis de la Estructura Poblacional del Pulpo Rojo (Octopus maya) en la Península de Yucatán, México
El pulpo maya es un recurso de alta demanda a nivel local, nacional e internacional, siendo el li... more El pulpo maya es un recurso de alta demanda a nivel local, nacional e internacional, siendo el litoral de la Península de Yucatán su principal zona de distribución y pesca en México. Este recurso es capturado por flotas con características y capacidad de pesca heterogéneas. A fin de conocer la estructura poblacional en tallas y sexos, así como la proporción de organismos sub-legales en las capturas, se realizó un muestreo estratificado en 8 localidades pesqueras de esta región. En cada puerto de obtuvieron muestras mensuales de los organismos desembarcados por cada flota, que fueron, medidos, pesados y sexados. En total fueron medidos 16,468 individuos (7,339 en Yucatán y 9,129 en Campeche). Se observaron diferencias en la proporción de organismos sub-legales capturados por las distintas flotas. Mas del 40% de los ejemplares capturados en los 4 puertos de Campeche presentan una talla menor a la mínima permitida (tmc = 11 cm LM), en tanto que en Yucatán solo fue un 19%. Las capturas desembarcadas en Campeche incluyen organismos más pequeños en Champotón (hacia el oeste) y más grandes en Isla Arena, (hacia el este), este patrón es aún más evidente en Yucatán con ejemplares más pequeños en Celestún (oeste) y más grandes en Río Lagartos (este). Los resultados sugieren la existencia de un desplazamiento de los organismos en dirección oeste-este. La proporción de sexos (H/M) para toda la muestra fue 0.89:1.0 para Campeche y 0.93:1.0 para Yucatán. Se asume que las condiciones bio-geográficas (batimetría, vegetación, corrientes, disponibilidad de refugios) y el tipo de artes de pesca (buceo y fisga, jimbas) empleados en las diferentes regiones hacen variar la estructura de las capturas. Se discute las implicaciones de las interacciones entre flotas para el recurso y la pesquería, de acuerdo a las tallas de los animales que tienen como objetivo.
12-Atah BiolTrop (2013) 61(1), 213-227
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Papers by Atahualpa Sosa Lopez