Transformation of dairy activity in Mexico in the context of current globalization and regionalization

To explain globalization of the Mexicandairy production more precisely, globalization indairy systems worldwide and within Mexico ispresented, using an intensive dairy operation in theregion of La Laguna (North Mexico), and a traditionaldairy operation in Los Altos de Jalisco (West Mexico)as examples. The focus is on the economic aspects ofregionalization, and how it relates to theglobalization process. In this context, the process ofregionalization of the North American dairy systemsand their relationships with the local systems in LaLaguna and Los Altos de Jalisco are presented. Themain thesis in this paper is whether globalization hasacted as a factor to help homogenize the dairy systemsin terms of economic, political, and culturalprocesses affected by world tendencies as well aslocal trends.     

Minor crops of Mesoamerica in early sources (II). Herbs used as condiments

The ancient Mexicas, established in the southern and central parts of Mexico at the time of Spanish arrival, used a great variety of minor vegetables, cultivated or collected from the wild. Written sources produced at this time, general reports and pictorial codices that referred to some extent to plants, provide valuable information on the cultivation or collection and use of these minor crops. Some aromatic vegetables were highly esteemed as desserts or condiments. Many of them possess similar properties to other condiments commonly used in the European pharmacopoeia in the 15th–16th Century. These American plants belong to different genera as compared to Eurasian condiments. We have found references to coriander-like condiments (Porophyllum, Cuphea, Arracacia), fennel or anise-like condiments (Piper, Rhodosciadium), cress or water-cress-like condiments (Tropaeolum, Lepidium, Hydrocotyle), horehound-like condiments (Salvia-Hyptis), and some aromatic chenopods. The historic and current utilizations of these plants are presented. Most of them are still collected from the wild, or occasionally cultivated to be used as condiments or for their medicinal properties. Some have the potential to be developed as food or industrial resources.     

Forest observational studies-an essential infrastructure for sustainable use of natural resources

This contribution complements Forest Ecosystems＇ Thematic Series on ＂Forest Observational Studies＂. We provide essential clarification regarding the definition and purpose of long-term field studies, review some of the extensive literature and discuss different approaches to collecting field data. We also describe two newly established forest observational networks that serve to illustrate the scope and diversity of forest field studies. The first is a large-scale network of forest observational studies in prominent natural forest ecosystems in China. The second example demonstrates observational studies in mixed and uneven-aged pine-oak forests which are selectively managed by local communities in Mexico. We summarize the potential for analysing and modeling forest ecosystems within interdisciplinary projects and provide argumentation in favour of long-term institutional commitment to maintaining forest observational field studies.     

The Bovine Tuberculosis Campaign in Mexico： Present and Perspectives

Mexico is considered by different international organizations as a country where the bovine tuberculosis is an endemic problem. However, there are important and consistent improvements in eradicating the disease by the implementation of government policies and with the livestock organization support. The current situation of the program shows good results regarding decreasing the prevalence, and as a consequence, the risk of this disease for public health and animal health, as well as the improvement in animal production and international and national trade. Today, the bovine tuberculosis distribution is almost known in Mexico. In addition, a series of controls and indicators have been established, which allow maintain consistency and reliability in the data that are managed and analyzed.     

Coffee production and household dynamics. The popolucas of Ocotal Grande, Veracruz

Feminist anthropologists have evidenced the social and cultural aspects of motherhood and have challenged the universality of the nuclear family as the basis for residential and child-rearing practices. From a feminist anthropological perspective, the concept of the household has thus been redefined to capture the ways in which different principles of household recruitment and residence shape the activities and access to resources of women and men of different ages and status. This paper examines the relationship between household composition and coffee production in Ocotal Grande, a Popoluca community in the Sierra de Santa Marta in Southern Veracruz, Mexico. It shows that polygamous households are larger and have higher yields of coffee than other types of households. However, this does not mean that all members of the household profit equally from their contribution to coffee production. While some relationship exists between labor input and returns, the distribution of benefits is based on gender and age hierarchies and is open to conflict and dispute. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Rapid estimation of broad sense heritability of farmer-managed maize populations in the Central Valleys of Oaxaca, Mexico, and implications for improvement

A method for rapid estimation of broad senseheritability (H) was applied in farmers' maize fields in two communities inOaxaca, Mexico. Plant and ear traits were documented and H estimatescompared with narrow sense heritability (h²) from family analysis andpublished estimates. Absolute values of H estimates were larger thanh² estimates from this study and the literature. Relative ranking bytrait was the same as in the literature, though not the same as rankings ofh² estimates generated in this study. With an understanding of itslimitations, this rapid, economical estimation procedure could provideuseful initial information especially for collaborative crop improvement workbetween researchers and farmers or farming communities on-farm, a plantbreeding context for which little empirical information is available.     

Presence of congenital anomalies in three dog litters

This report describes multiple congenital malformations found in three dog litters delivered by emergency caesarean section. In all of the litters, some puppies were born alive but were euthanized because of the seriousness of their malformations and low probability of survival. In two litters, gastroschisis was associated with amelia of the right anterior limb. Other malformations such as anencephaly were also found in three puppies among the different litters. This report describes the morphological findings of the affected puppies, discusses the most appropriate terminologies for each case and highlights the importance of an epidemiological survey to identify potential factors associated with the cases.     

Validation of an ovarian biopsy method in a sea bass, Centropomus medius Günther

In the present study, the establishment and validation of an ovarian biopsy method for in vivo assessment of oocyte maturation in the snook, Centropomus medius Günther, is described. Diameter and morphological characteristics of intra‐ovarian oocytes siphoned with a polyethylene cannula were analysed fresh, preserved with 1% formalin in 0.7% NaCl solution and also cleared with Serra solution. There were no effects detected of the preservative solution on the opaque oocytes within the 24‐h interval of the test. The clearing solution allowed excellent visibility of the membrane thickness, yolk appearance and germinal vesicle. Oocytes from each of the five ovarian sites of all examined females were in different prematuration stages and those on the tertiary yolk globule stage had a unimodal diameter frequency distribution and their diameter means were not significantly different among sites (P > 0.01) on eight females. In vivo and in vitro samples of the eight females examined were not significantly different (P > 0.05). As samples obtained with the polyethylene cannula are representative of the ovary central portion, an estimate of the coefficient of variation corrected for bias (P < 0.05) for 20 means of repeated in vivo samples was 1.4 ± 0.47. The results obtained demonstrate that for the species studied, the biopsy method is satisfactory, providing representative samples of the ovaries with the required precision.     

In Focus: Spotted wing drosophila, Drosophila suzukii, across perspectives

In August 2008, the first detection of the spotted wing drosophila, Drosophila suzukii, to the North America mainland in California caused great concern, as the fly was found infesting a variety of commercial fruits. Subsequent detections followed in Oregon, Washington, Florida and British Columbia in 2009; in Utah, North Carolina, South Carolina, Michigan, and Louisiana in 2010; and in Virginia, Montana, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland and Mexico in 2011. In Europe, it has been detected in Italy and Spain in 2009 and in France in 2010. Economic costs to the grower from D. suzukii include the increased cost of production (increased labor and materials for chemical inputs, monitoring and other management tools) and crop loss. An effective response to the invasion of D. suzukii requires proper taxonomic identification at the initial phase, understanding basic biology and phenology, developing management tools, transferring information and technology quickly to user groups, and evaluating the impact of the research and extension program on an economic, social, and environmental level. As D. suzukii continues to expand its range, steps must be initiated in each new region to educate and inform the public as well as formulate management tactics suitable for the crops and growing conditions in each.     

Fragmentation patterns and implications for biodiversity conservation in three biosphere reserves and surrounding regional environments, northeastern Mexico

Patterns of fragmentation in current distributions of 35 species of birds and 19 species of mammals that are considered endangered, threatened, or with restricted distributions were modeled in relation to 3 biosphere reserves (El Abra-Tanchipa, El Cielo, Sierra Gorda; ‘BRs’) and 13 areas identified as priorities for conservation in northeastern Mexico (PAC-Priority Areas for Conservation). Core area percentage of landscape (CPLAND) and aggregation index (AI) were used to summarize fragmentation trends in species’ geographic distributions, modeled using ecological niche modeling techniques. Overall (median) CPLAND and AI revealed: (a) for birds, El Abra-Tanchipa BR and neighboring areas exhibited the lowest fragmentation (high CPLAND and high AI), whereas Sierra Gorda BR was the most fragmented; (b) for mammals, El Abra-Tanchipa and El Cielo BRs exhibited lowest overall fragmentation, while Sierra Gorda BR was the most fragmented. Although there were areas (i.e., El Abra-Tanchipa BR and Parras de la Fuente PAC) with higher combination of CPLAND and AI values, El Cielo BR stands out because of its high CPLAND and AI values along with the highest species richness.