Socioecological problematic and proposals for the conservation of two endangered species of woody endemic bamboo of Mexico

Abstract

Mexico is a biologically megadiverse country and is the fourth nation in terms of species richness. This country is home to 25,000–30,000 species of plants, one of which is woody bamboo. There are 58 Mexican woody bamboo species, and 41 of these species are endemic to Mexico, Chiapas is the richest State in woody bamboo species. Regrettably, most endemic woody bamboo species are found only in a few sites with anthropic disturbances like Rhipidocladum martinezii and Otatea glauca that inhabit the regions of Soconusco and Sierra in the south of the state of Chiapas. Both regions have a great biological richness but, at the same time, agribusiness (the most important economic activity) is the main driver of deforestation. Both species have a restricted distribution and face severe threats to the survival of their populations, mainly due to the loss of their habitats by human activities. In this chapter, we developed for both bamboo species a methodology to estimate the extinction risk based on national and international red lists (Mexican Official Norm NOM-059-SEMARNAT-2001 and IUCN Red List, respectively). The result of both lists’ evaluation was that these endemic species are endangered of extinction. We discussed the methodology and concluded that the preservation of biodiversity is a multidisciplinary labor that requires the participation mainly of local actors and institutions.