Terracing for soil restoration and drought adaptation in the Mapimí Biosphere Reserve, Mexico

Adaptation to drought is a subject of debate and interest from various approaches and geographic areas. In this context, it is important to promote actions in protected natural areas that, without neglecting conservation, seek to improve the adaptation of their inhabitants to changes in rainfall pat...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Cortina Aguilera, Jacqueline Yared, Bocco Verdinelli, Gerardo, Arnés, Esperanza, Orozco Ramírez, Quetzalcóatl, Kelly, John
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2024
País:México
Institución:UNIVERSIDAD AUTÓNOMA CHAPINGO
Repositorio:Revista de Geografía Agrícola
Idioma:español
OAI Identifier:oai:ojs2.revistas.chapingo.mx:article/1067
Acceso en línea:https://revistas.chapingo.mx/geografia/article/view/1067
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:ganadería extensiva
variabilidad climática
áreas naturales protegidas
extensive cattle ranching
climate variability
protected natural areas
Descripción
Sumario:Adaptation to drought is a subject of debate and interest from various approaches and geographic areas. In this context, it is important to promote actions in protected natural areas that, without neglecting conservation, seek to improve the adaptation of their inhabitants to changes in rainfall patterns and soil degradation, processes linked to drought. This study aimed to analyze, through semi-structured interviews and participant observation, the adoption of terracing (semicircular bunds) as a management practice for soil restoration and drought adaptation in the Mapimí Biosphere Reserve, a semiarid region in north-central Mexico where extensive cattle ranching is the main economic activity. Residents agree that the rainy season now begins later and, therefore, the period of natural absence of precipitation extends into the summer season. They also concur that the pattern of storms has changed, as their intensity has increased markedly, while the events are shorter in duration and occur over relatively small areas. The use of semicircular bunds is an efficient tool in the face of the worsening lack of vegetation cover and overgrazing. This is similar to results in analogous conditions in Mexico, where climate variability has been addressed through terracing.