Freshwater fishes and water status in México: A country-wide appraisal.
Keywords:
basins, monitoring, quality, runoff, integrityAbstract
México is the southernmost country in North America, and extends into Central America, south of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. The northern half of México is located on the Temperate belt and is arid in character (Nearctic), while the rest is within the Tropical belt (Neotropical). Climate varies from extremely temperate desert in the north, to tropical humid in the south. México has more than 500 freshwater fish species, about 271 of them country endemics, and approximately 48 endemics from binational basins. There are still some 30–40 fish species not yet described. There are 563 fish species colonizing coastal flood plain species. In addition to the numbers of colonizing fishes, the burden of introduced exotics has also been growing. In 1904, only 4 species were recognized as exotics; by 1997 the number had increased to 94, and by 2008 to 115. The main fish collections in Mexico are at IPN, UNAM, and UANL and are the most representative, being national in scope, although concentrated in the tropics, central region, and general in coverage, respectively. The decline of the native fish fauna has been in focus in recent years, usually as trend-in-time comparisons, where the loss of native forms and increase of exotics and/or colonizer species is evident in many basins, mainly in Río Balsas, Río Grande, and Río Lerma-Santiago. As a result, the numbers of species reported at some degree of risk have been increasing also, from 17 in 1963 to 192 in 2005. The trends in colonizers, exotics, and species at risk among Mexican fishes are parallel. The Index of Biological Integrity (IBI), in either its geographical, or historical form (IBIh), has been applied to the Rio Grande/Río Bravo basin, USA and México. IBIh values go between 0–91 (average 31). Alien species are regarded as detrimental. Overall, the IBI trends have been similar in all regions, starting from 70–95% in upper reaches, decreasing to less than 0–35% in the lower reaches of West central basins, and then down to 15% or less near the Lower Rio Grande delta. Several alien species of plecos have been recognized in the rivers Balsas, Grijalva-Río Usumacinta complex, and, also, one in the Rio Grande. Mexican rivers are notoriously dewatered in the northern half of the country. Until 1962, the Rio Grande had an average runoff of 12,000+ millions of cubic meters/year; however by 2002 it was less than 2% of that value. The river went nearly dry along the Big Bend region and was dry for months in the delta region, both in 2002 and 2004. The Rio Grande is mostly dry north of the Río Conchos junction, its main Mexican tributary, and other tributaries provide now between 1% (Río San Juan) and 20% (Río Conchos) of pre-1960 runoff. A modified Index of Biological Integrity for Rio Grande resulted in grades from 70 to 95% of the baseline in upper reaches, less than 35% in lower reaches, to less than 15% near the coast. The Texan version of the IBI was not representative as it suppresses data on euryhaline fishes. The reports of total toxics were masked, since the sum should have included both organics and heavy metals exceeding USA regulations to the total count, but only one of the two was included.
References
Alba, E. de and Reyes, M. E. 1998. Contexto Físico, En: CONABIO, La diversidad biológica de México: Estudio de país. Parte 1. (Biological Diversity of Mexico: study of the country. In Spanish), 3–22. El País.
Alvarez, J. 1950. Claves para la determinación de especies en los peces de las aguas continentales mexicanas. (Keys for determining species of fish in the continental Waters of Mexico. In Spanish.), México: Secretaría de Marina.
Alvarez, J. 1970. Peces Mexicanos (Claves) Insert: (Mexican Fishes. (Keys) In Spanish.), México: Serie Investigación Pesquera, Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Biológico Pesqueras.
Anuarios Estadísticos de Pesca. 2006. (Annual Statistics of Fisheries. In Spanish.), México: Secretaría de Pesca National Institute of Fisheries, Secretariat of Fisheries.
Arredondo-Figueroa, J. L. and Flores-Nava, A. 1992. Característica limnológica de pequeños embalses epicontinentales, su uso y manejo en la acuacultura. (Limnological characteristics of epicontinental small reservoirs. Spanish.). Hidrobiológica, 3/4: 1–10.
Arredondeo-Figueroa, J. and Lozano-Gracia, S. D. 2003. La acuicultura en México. (Aquiculture in Mexico In Spanish), México: Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana.
Barbour, C. D. 1973. The systematics and evolution of the genus Chirostoma Swainson (Pisces: Atherinidae). Tulane Stud. Zool. Bot., 18: 97–141.
Barbour, C. D. and Miller, R. R. 1978. A revision of the Mexican cyprinid genus Algansea. Misc. Publ. Mus. Zool., Univ. Mich., 155: 1–72.
Carta Nacional Pesquera. 2000. Diario Oficial de la Federación. (Offical Diary of the Mexican federation. In Spanish) Mexico
Castro-Aguirre, J. L. 1976. Catálogo sistemático de los peces marinos que penetran a las aguas continentales de México, con aspectos zoogeográficos y ecológicos. (Systematic catalogue of marine fishes that penetrate the continental waters of Mexico. In Spanish.). Depto. De Pesca México, Ser. Cient., 19: 298
Castro-Aguirre, J. L., Espinosa-Pérez, H. and Schmitter-Soto, J. J. 1999. “Ictiofauna estuarino-lacunar y vicaria de México. (Lacustruine-esturaine and vicariante ichthyofauna of Mexico. In Spanish.)”. In Textos Politécnicos, Series Biotecnologías
Contreras-Balderas, S. 1969. Perspectivas de la Ictiofauna en las Zonas Aridas del Norte de México. (Perspectives of the ichthyofauna from arid zones in Northern Mexico. In Spanish.). Mem. Primer Simp. Internacional de Aumento de Produccion en Zonas Aridas ICASALS, Texas Tech. Publ., 3: 294–304.
Contreras-Balderas, S. 1973. Speciation aspects and man-made community composition changes in Chihuahuan desert fishes. Trans. Proc., 3: 1–658. (Published in 1978)
Contreras-Balderas, S. 1976. Impacto ambiental de obras hidráulicas. ([Environmental Impacts of Hydraulic Works. In Spanish.) Technical Report. Secretaría de Recursos Hidráulicos, Informe Técnico
Contreras-Balderas, S. 1999. “Annotated checklist of introduced invasive fishes in México, with examples of some recent introductions”. In Nonindigenous freshwater organisms–vectors, biology, and impacts, Edited by: Claudi, R. and Leach, J. H. 33–54. 33–54. Stockport: Lewis Publ..
Contreras-Balderas, S. 2000. “Alteraciones en Biodiversidad y Notas de Impacto Ambiental en Presas del Noreste de México: Revisado. (Alterations of Biodiversity and environmental impacts noted in reservoirs of Northeastern Mexico. In Spanish.)”. In De la Lanza Espino: Lagos y Presas de México (Lakes and Reservoirs in Mexico), 486–499. Centro de Ecología y Desarrollo, A.C..
Contreras-Balderas, S. and Escalante, M. A. 1984. “Distribution and known impacts of exotic fishes in México”. In Distribution, Biology, and Management of Exotic Fishes, Edited by: Courtenay, W. C. Jr. and Stauffer, J. R. Jr. 102–130. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.
Contreras-Balderas, S. and Lozano-Vilano, M. L. 1993. Water, Endangered Fishes, and Development Perspectives in Arid Lands of México. Conserv. Biol., 8(2): 379–387.
Contreras-Balderas, S. and Lozano-Vilano, M. L. 1994. Cyprinella alvarezdelvillari sp. nv. from Río Nazas, New Cyprinid Fish from México. COPEIA, 1994(4): 897–906.
Contreras-McBeath, T., Mejía-Mójica, H. and Carrillo-Wilson, R. 1998. Negative impact on the aquatic ecosystems of the state of Morelos, México, from introduced aquarium and other comercial fish. Aquar. Sci. Conserv., 2: 67–78.
Contreras-Balderas, S. and Ramírez-Flores, M. 1999. Acuacultura, Ictiodiversidad, Transfaunación Acuática y Peces en Riesgo en México. (Aquaculture, Ichthyodiversity, Aquatic transfaunation, and Fishes at risk in Mexico. In Spanish.). Mem.IV Reunión Nal. Redes Investigación en Acuacultura, 1: 97–102.
Contreras-Balderas, S. and Ramírez-Flores, M. 2000. Biodiversidad en las aguas continentales de México. (Biodiversity in continental Waters of Mexico. In Spanish.). Estado de salud de la acuacultura. Instituto Nacional de la Pesca, Dirección General de Investigación en Acuacultura (México), 1(4): 1–13.
Contreras-Balderas, S., Lozano-Vilano, M. L. and García-Ramírez, M. E. 2000. “Ecology chapters”. In Water and Sustainable development in the Lower Rio Grande/Río Bravo, Edited by: Schmandt, J. Texas and México Houston Advanced Research Center.
Contreras-Balderas, S., Lozano-Vilano, M. L. and García-Ramírez, M. E. 2001. Indice Biológico de Integridad del Río Sabinas, Coahuila, México. (Index of Biological Integrity of the Sabinas River, Coahuila, Mexico. In Spanish), Mexico: Gobierno de Coahuila. Reporte Técnico
Contreras-Balderas, S., Lozano-Vilano, M. L. and García-Ramírez, M. E. 2002. Indice Biológico de Integridad de la Presa Venustiano Carranza, Coahuila, México. (Index of Biological Integrity of the Venustiano Carranza Reservoir, Coahuila, Mexico. In Spanish.), Mexico: Gobierno de Coahuila. Reporte Técnico
Contreras-Balderas, S., Edwards, R. J., Lozano-Vilano, M. L. and García-Ramírez, M. E. 2002. Fish Biodiversity Changes in the Lower Rio Grande/Río Bravo 1953–1996. (Cambios en la Biodiversidad de Peces en el Bajo Rio Grande/Río Bravo). Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries, 12(2–3): 219–240. (Edición Especial Bilingüe [Special bilingual edition])
Contreras-Balderas, S., Lozano-Vilano, M. L. and García-Ramírez, M. E. 2003. Indice Biológico de Integridad del Rio Conchos, Chihuahua, México. (Index of Biological Integrity of the Conchos River, Chihuahua, Mexico. In Spanish.), Mexico: World Wildlife Fund. Reporte Técnico
Contreras-Balderas, S., Almada-Villela, P., Lozano-Vilano, M. L. and García-Ramírez, M. E. 2003. Freshwater fish species at risk or extinct in México. Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries, 12(2–3): 241–251.
Contreras-Balderas, S., Lozano-Vilano, M. L. and García-Ramírez, M. E. 2005. “Historical changes in the Index of Biological Integrity for the Lower Río Nazas, Durango, México”. In Historical Changes in Large river assemblages of the Americas Edited by: Rinne, J. N., Hughes, R. M. and Calamusso, B. Amer. Fish. Soc. Symp., 45.
De Buen, F. 1947. Ictiogeografía Continental Mexicana (I, II y III). (Mexican Continental Ichthyogeography. In Spanish.). Revista de la Sociedad Mexicana de Historia Natural, 7(1–4): 87–138.
De, l a, Lanza-Espino, G. and García-Calderón, J. L. 2002. Lagos y Presas de México. (Lakes and Reservoirs of Mexico, In Spanish.), México: AGT Editor, S. A..
Díaz-Pardo, E., Godínez Rodríguez, M. A., López-López, E. and Soto Galera, E. 1993. Ecología de los peces del Río Lerma, México. (Ecology of fishes of the Lerma River, Mexico. In Spanish.), Vol. 39, 103–127. Anales: Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional [Annals, National School of Biological Sciences, National Polytechnical Institute.
Doadrio, I. and Domínguez, O. 2003. Phylogenetic relationships within the family Goodeidae based on cytochrome b sequence data. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 31(2): 416–430.
Edwards, R. J. and Contreras-Balderas, S. 1991. Historical changes in the ichthyofauna of the Lower Rio Grande (Rio Bravo del Norte), Texas and México. Southwest. Nat., 36(2): 201–212.
Elizondo-Garza, R. and Fernández-Méndez, J. J. 1995. Caracterización Biológico Pesquera del Lago de Chapala, Jalisco-Michoacán, México, con un análisis de las capturas de charal Chirostoma chapalae (Jordan y Snyder, 1900), en redes mangueadoras y atarrayas [Fisheries biology. Characterization of Chapala lake, Jalisco-Michoacán, Mexico. In Spanish.), Vol. 8, 62–96. México: Publicaciones Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas/ Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León. (1–2)
Elizondo-Garza, R. and Rodríguez-Páez, A. E. 1993. Análisis sobre capturas comerciales y su relación con los artes de pesca en el Lago de Chapala (Jalisco-Michoacán). (Analysis of commercial catch and their relation with fishing gear in Lake Chapala (Jalisco-Michoacan) In Spanish.), Vol. 9, 33–48. Ciencia Pesquera, Instituto Nacional de Pesca, Secretaría de Pesca México.
Elizondo-Garza, R., Martínez-Zavala, M. A., Roque-Villada, I. and Fernández-Méndez, J. J. 1995. Caracterización biológica de la Presa Vicente Guerrero (Las Adjuntas), Tamps., México, con un análisis de las capturas de tilapia, Oreochromis aureus (Steindachner, 1864), y lobina negra, Micropterus salmoides (Lacépède, 1802). (Biological characterization of Vicente Guerrero Reservoir (Las Adjuntas), Tamps., with an análisis of tilapia (Oreochromis aureus (Steindachner, 1864), and black bass, Micropterus salmoides match. In Spanish.), Vol. 8, 25–61. México: Publicaciones Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas/ Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León. (1–2)
Gaspar-Dillanes, M. T., Rojas-Carrillo, P., Fernández-Méndez, J. I. and Toledo Díaz-Rubín, M. P. 2001. “Pesquerías de Aguas Continentales: Lago de Pátzcuaro (Fisheries in continental Waters: Lake Patzcuaro. In Spanish)”. In Sustentabilidad y pesca responsable en México: Evaluación y manejo [Sustainability and responsable fishing in Mexico: Evaluation and management] 1999–2000, Edited by: Díaz de León, C. A. and Cisneros, M. A. 793–820. México: Instituto Nacional de la Pesca, Secretaría de Medio Ambiente, Recursos Naturales y Pesca.
Guzmán, A. F. and Barragán, J. 1997. Presencia de bagre sudamericano (Osteichthyes: Loricariidae) en el Río Mezcala, Guerrero, México. (Presence of a Southamerican catfish (Osteichthyes: Loricariidae. In Spanish). Vertebrata Mexicana, 3: 1–4.
Hendrickson, D. A. 1984. Distribution records of native and exotic fishes in Pacific drainages of Northern México. J. Ariz.-Nev. Acad, Sci., 18: 33–38. 1983
Mexico, , USA: Internacional Boundary and Water Commission. IBWC, 1923–2003. Water Bull. 1–72
Instituto Nacional de Pesca [National Institute of Fisheries]. 1994. Presa Adolfo López Mateos, “Infiernillo” [Adolfo Lopez Mateos Reservoir, “Little Hell”. (In Spanish.) www.semarnat.gob.mx
INEGI (Instituto Nacional de Estadística, Geografía e Informática) (National Institute of Statistics, Geography, and Informatics. In Spanish.). 1982. México: Estadísticas del Medio Ambiente.
INEGI (Instituto Nacional de Estadística, Geografía e Informática) (National Institute of Statistics, Geography, and Informatics. In Spanish.). 1994. Mexico: Estadísticas del Medio Ambiente.
Jiménez-Badillo, M. L. and Nepita-Villanueva, M. R. 2004. Espectro trófico de la Tilapia Oreochromis aureus (Perciformes: Cichlidae) en la Presa Infiernillo, Michoacán-Guerrero, México [Trophic position of tilapia Oreochromis aureus (Perciformes: Cichlidae)]. Revista de Biología Tropical, 48(2–3): 487–494.
Jiménez-Badillo, M. L., Ramírez-Camarena, C. and Osuna-Paredes, C. 2001. “Pesquerías de Aguas Continentales: Presa el Infiernillo (Fisheries in continental Waters: Little Hell Reservoir. In Spanish.)”. In Sustentabilidad y pesca responsable en México: Evaluación y manejo [Sustainability and responsable fishing in Mexico: Evaluation and management] 1999–2000, Edited by: Díaz de León, C. A. and Cisneros, M. A. 851–874. México: Instituto Nacional de la Pesca, Secretaría de Medio Ambiente, Recursos Naturales y Pesca.
Juárez-Palacios, R. 1989. Presa Adolfo López Mateos El Infiernillo: caracterización, informe preliminary (Adolfo López Mateois Reservoir the Little Hell: characterization, preliminary report. In Spanish.), México: Informes, Secretaría de Pesca.
Karr, J. 1981. Assessment of biotic integrity using fish communities. Fisheries, 6(6): 21–27.
Kelly, M. and Contreras-Balderas, S. 1995. The TNRCC, Binacional study regarding the presence of toxic substances in the Rio Grande/Rio Bravo and its tributaries along the boundary portion between the United Status and Mexico. Texas Natural Resources Conservation Commission. User's manual, Austin and Monterrey: Texas Center for Policy Studies and Bioconservación, A.C..
Lagler, J. F., Bardach, J. E., Miller, R. R. and Passino, D. R. M. 1977. Ichthyology, , 2nd. Ed, NY: J. Wiley.
Llorente-Bousquets, J., Koleff-Osorio, P., Benítez-Díaz, H. and Lara-Morales, L. 1999. Síntesis del Estado de las Colecciones Biológicas Mexicanas, CONABIO. (Synthesis of the status of Mexican biological collections. CONABIO. In Spanish)
Lyons, J., González-Hernández, G., Soto-Galera, E. and Guzmán-Arroyo, M. 1998. Decline of freshwater fishes and fisheries in selected drainages of West-central México. Fisheries, 23(4): 10–18.
Martínez-Ramírez, E., Doadrio-Villarejo, I. and de Sotoa-Fernández, A. 2004. “Peces Continentales (Continental fishes)”. In Biodiversidad de Oaxaca (Biodiversity of Oaxaca. In Spanish.), Edited by: García-Mendoza, A. J., Ordóñez, M. De J. and Briones-Salas, M. 357–373. Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México.
Mayden, R. L., Matson, R. H. and Hillis, D. M. 1984. “Speciation in the North American genus Dionda”. In Systematics, Historical Ecology, and North American Freshwater Fishes, Edited by: Mayden, R. L. 710–746. Stanford: Stanford University Press.
Meek, S. E. 1904. The freshwater fishes of México north of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec Field Col. Mus. Publ. 93, Zool. Ser.
Mercado-Silva, N., Lyons, J. D., Salgado-Maldonado, G. and Medina-Nava, M. 2002. Validation of a fish based index of biological integrity for streams and rivers of central México. Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries, 12(2): 179–191.
Miller, R. R. 1961. Man and the changing fish fauna of the American Soutwest. Pap. Mich. Acad. Sci. Arts and Letters, 46(1960): 365–404.
Miller, R. R. and Smith, M. 1986. “Origin and geography of the fishes of central Mexico”. In The zoogeography of North American freshwater fishes, Edited by: Hocutt, C. H. and Wiley, E. O. 487NY: J. Wiley.
Miller, R. R., Minckley, W. L. and Norris, S. M. 2005. Freshwater fishes of Mexico, IL: Chicago University Press.
Norma Oficial Mexicana 059 Ecol(ogy), De las especies mexicanas en peligro, amenazadas o de protección especial. Diario Oficial de la Federación (Offical Diary of the Mexican federation. In Spanish) NOM-059-ECOL
NOM-059-SEMARNAT. 2001. Norma Oficial Mexicana 059 Ecol de las especies mexicanas: en peligro, amenazadas o de protección especial. Diario Oficial de la Federación Mexicana. (Ecology Of Mexican species: endangered, threatened, or of special protection. In Spanish.), Offical Diary of the Mexican federation.
Orbe-Mendoza, A., Acevedo-García, J. and Lyons, J. 2002. Lake Patzcuaro fishery management plan. Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries, 12(2–3): 207–217.
Orbe-Mendoza, A., Guzmán-Arroyo, M. and Flores-Herrera, R. 1996. “Embalses del Estado de Michoacán, México (Reservoirs of the State of Michoacan. In Spanish.)”. In Pesquerías relevantes de México, XXX Aniversario de la pesca, , 1st Ed. Edited by: Fuentes-Castellanos, D. F. and García-Real, S. Peñalosa. 673–695. (Relevant fisheries in Mexico, XXX Anniversary of fishing), Instituto Nacional de Pesca-Secretaría del Medio Ambiente Recxursos Naturales y Pesca
Orbe-Mendoza, A., Hernández-Montaño, D. and Acevedo-García, J. 2001. “Pesquerías de Aguas Continentales: Lago de Chapala [Fishewries in Continental Waters]”. In Sustentabilidad y pesca responsable en México: Evaluación y manejo Sustainability and responsable fishing in Mexico. In Spanish.) 1999–2000, Edited by: Díaz de León, C. A. and Cisneros, M. A. 821–836. Instituto Nacional de la Pesca, Secretaría de Medio Ambiente, Recursos Naturales y Pesca.
Orbe-Mendoza, A., Romero, A. C. and Acevedo, J. 1999. Producción y rendimiento pesquero en la presa Lic. Adolfo López Mateos (El Infiernillo) Michoacán-Guerrero, México. (Production and fishing yield in the Lic. Adolfo Lopez Mateos reservoir (Little Hell) Michoiacan-Guerrero, Mexico. In Spanish.). Hidrobiologica, 9(1): 1–8.
Rodiles-Hernández, R., Hendrickson, D. A., Lundberg, G. J. and Humphries, J. M. 2005. Lacantunia enigmatica (Teleostei, Siluriformes) a new and phylogenetically puzzling fish from Mesoamerica. Zootaxa, 1000: 1–24.
Ruiz-Campos, G., Castro-Aguirre, J. L., Contreras-Balderas, S., Lozano-Vilano, M. L., González-Acosta, A. F. and Sánchez-Acosta, S. 2003. An annotated distributional checklist of the freshwater fish from Baja California Sur, México. Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries, 12(2–3): 143–155.
Rzedowski, J. 1978. Vegetación de México. (Vegetation of Mexico. In Spanish.), México: Ed. Limusa.
Salgado-Maldonado, G. 2006. Checklist of Heliminth parasites of freshwater fishes from Mexico. Zootaxa, 1324: 1–357.
SARH-PNH. 1981. (Secretaria de Agricultura y Recursos Hidraulicos–Plan Nacional Hidraulico.) (Secretariat of Agriculture and Hydraulic Resources–National Hydraulic Plan. In Spanish.) In: Mexico, Informe de la situación general en materia de equilibrio ecologico y proteccion al ambiente [Mexico, Report on General Situation in Ecological Equilibrium and Enviromental Protection] 1991–1992, Secretaria de Desarrollo Social [Secretariat of Social Development], Mexico, 1993
Smith, M. and Miller, R. R. 1986. “The evolution of the Rio Grande basin as inferred from its fish fauna”. In The zoogeography of North American freshwater fishes, Edited by: Hocutt, C. H. and Wiley, E. O. 457–485. NY: J. Wiley.
Tamayo, J. L. 1963. Geografía General de México (General Geography of Mexico. In Spanish), Instituto de Estudios Económicos, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. 4 volumes and atlas
Tamayo, J. L. and West, G. 1963. “The hydrography of Middle America”. In Handbook of Middle American Indians, Vol.I Edited by: Wauchope, R. and West, R. C. 84–121.
TNRCC. 1994. Binacional study regarding the presence of toxic substances in the Rio Grande/Rio Bravo and its tributaries along the boundary portion between the United Status and Mexico, TX: Texas Natural Resources Conservation Commission.
Published
Issue
Section
License
Manuscripts must be original. They must not be published or be under consideration for publication elsewhere, in whole or in part. It is required that the lead author of accepted papers complete and sign the MSU Press AEHM Author Publishing Agreement and provide it to the publisher upon acceptance.
