The Herpetofauna and Associated Parasites of Mexico--A Megadiverse Country: Phase II

墨西哥的爬行动物和相关寄生虫——一个生物多样性丰富的国家：第二阶段

• 批准号: 0613802
• 负责人: John Campbell
• 金额: $ 60万
• 依托单位: University of Texas at Arlington
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2006
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2006-09-15 至 2012-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0613802&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Herpetofauna; Associated; Parasites; Mexico; Megadiverse

This project investigates the biodiversity of Mexico, the country with the greatest number of amphibians and reptiles in the world. A collaboration is proposed between the University of Texas at Arlington and the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico. Participants will conduct a comprehensive survey of the amphibians, reptiles, and the parasite fauna associated with these classes. The investigators will focus their efforts on northern Mexico from the Transverse Volcanic Cordillera to the US border. Mexico is of particular biogeographical interest because it includes the transition zone between the two great faunal regions of the Western Hemisphere, the Neartic and Neotropical. It is estimated that more than 200 species of amphibians and reptiles unknown to science remain to be discovered in Mexico, and the parasites in general are extremely poorly known. The urgency for this project is more acute than for other tropical countries, for several reasons. First, human population density in Mexico has now reached the point where the last vestiges of forests are disappearing in many areas, and these forests are recognized for their extremely high biodiversity and levels of endemism. Second, the diversity of amphibians and reptiles in Mexico is higher than any other country in the world, regardless of size or location. Finally, dramatic population declines have been identified in both amphibians and reptiles; some species have already been lost and others will follow soon. The materials collected (specimens, tissue samples, digital images, recordings) during this survey will be valuable aids to persons working in many diverse disciplines of research, including systematics, ecology, and conservation.

该项目调查了墨西哥的生物多样性，墨西哥是世界上两栖动物和爬行动物数量最多的国家。德克萨斯大学阿灵顿分校和墨西哥国立自治大学提议进行合作。 参与者将对两栖动物、爬行动物和与这些类别相关的寄生虫动物群进行全面调查。 调查人员将把工作重点放在墨西哥北方从横贯火山山脉到美国边境的地区。 墨西哥在地理上特别有意义，因为它包括了西半球两大动物区（Neartic和Neotropical）之间的过渡带。 据估计，在墨西哥仍有200多种科学未知的两栖动物和爬行动物有待发现，而对寄生虫的了解则非常少。 这一项目的紧迫性比其他热带国家更为紧迫，原因有几个。 第一，墨西哥的人口密度现已达到这样的程度，在许多地区，森林的最后遗迹正在消失，而这些森林被认为具有极高的生物多样性和地方特有性。 第二，墨西哥两栖动物和爬行动物的多样性高于世界上任何其他国家，无论大小或位置。 最后，两栖动物和爬行动物的数量都出现了急剧下降;一些物种已经消失，其他物种也将很快消失。在这次调查中收集的材料（标本，组织样本，数字图像，录音）将是有价值的辅助人员在许多不同的学科的研究，包括系统学，生态学和保护。