Variación espacio-temporal del ensamblaje de peces criptobentónicos y conspicuos en dos áreas naturales protegidas, Bahía de los Ángeles y Huatulco

Spatial and temporal variation of the assemblage of cryptobenthic and conspicuous reef fish in two protected natural areas, Bahía delos Ángeles and Huatulco

Rodrigo Daniel Chiriboga Ortega (2023, [Tesis de maestría])

Los peces arrecifales desempeñan roles ecológicos muy importantes manteniendo la salud de los arrecifes siendo limpiadores, recicladores de materia orgánica y además fuente de alimento entre eslabones de la cadena trófica. El presente trabajo busca describir el ensamblaje de peces arrecifales crípticos y conspicuos, y evaluar los patrones espaciales y temporales del ensamblaje de peces arrecifales en Bahía de Los Ángeles, Baja California (BLA) y el Parque Nacional Huatulco (PNH), Oaxaca. Utilizamos dos métodos de muestreo censos visuales y estaciones cerradas. Para evaluar a los peces conspicuos, se realizaron censos visuales empleando transectos de banda de 20x4 m. Para cuantificar la biodiversidad de peces crípticos, se realizaron estaciones cerradas (0.4 m2 ) en donde se utilizó aceite de clavo como anestésico para recolectar los peces arrecifales criptobentónicos (PACr). Las dos metodologías se realizaron en dos gradientes de profundidad (somero; < 5 m y profundo; > 5 m) y en dos estaciones (cálida y fría). Se realizaron curvas de acumulación de especies y un análisis del número efectivo de especies para describir la riqueza y diversidad de cada zona de estudio. Finalmente, para determinar patrones espacio temporales se realizaron análisis nMDS, PERMANOVAS y SIMPER. La riqueza total fue de 43 especies para BLA y 62 para el PNH representando el 80% y 79% del promedio de los estimadores no paramétricos respectivamente. Se aumentó el número de especies registradas a 94 para BLA y 209 para el PNH utilizando las estaciones cerradas. Se observaron diferencias significativas entre estaciones y profundidad en el ensamblaje de PACs de BLA, pero no para los PACr. En el PNH se observaron diferencias significativas para la riqueza y abundancia de los PACr y variación temporal de la biomasa de los PACs. En conclusión se demostró que el uso de métodos de muestreo complementarios mejora la calidad de los inventarios de especies y permite detectar variaciones espacio temporales en la estructura de la comunidad íctica.

Reef fishes perform important ecological roles in maintaining reef health by cleaning and recycling organic material, and by providing a source of food between trophic linkages. The thesis describes cryptic and conspicuous reef fish assemblages and estimates their spatial and temporal patterns of in two sites, Bahía de Los Ángeles (BLA) in the state of Baja California and Huatulco National Park (PNH), in the state of Oaxaca. We used two sampling methods: visual census using SCUBA (band transects of 4x20m) for conspicuous reef fish (PAC) and enclosed stations (0.4 m2) using clove oil to anesthetize and collect the cryptobenthic reef fish (PACr). Sampling was conducted at two depth strata (shallow; < 5 m and deep; > 5m) and during two seasons (warm and cold). We used species accumulation curves and analysis of effective number of species to describe the richness and diversity of reef fish. Finally, nMDS, PERMANOVAS and SIMPER were performed to determine spatial and temporal patterns. The total species richness was 43 species for BLA and 62 species for the PNH, representing 80% and 79%, respectively, of the average of the non-parametric estimators. The number of species increased to 94 for BLA and 209 for PNH using enclosed stations. Significant differences between seasons and depth strata were found for the PACs assemblage at the BLA site, but not for the PACr assemblage. At the PNH site, significant differences were found for the richness and abundance of the PACr assemblage for depth as well as for the seasonal variation of the biomass of the PACs assemblage. In conclusion we demonstrated that the use of complementary sampling methods improves the quality of species inventories and allows for the detection of both spatial and temporal variations in the structure of the reef fish community.

diversidad, peces arrecifales, criptobentónico, biomasa, espacio-temporal biodiversity, reef fishes, cryptobenthic, biomass, spatial-temporal CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA CIENCIAS AGRARIAS PECES Y FAUNA SILVESTRE DINÁMICA DE LAS POBLACIONES DINÁMICA DE LAS POBLACIONES

Adecuación cultural de la vivienda: una propuesta de medición

Jesús Ricardo Salazar Judith Ley García (2022, [Artículo, Artículo])

La adecuación cultural forma parte de las siete directrices internacionales que, según la Organización de las Naciones Unidas, debe poseer una vivienda para que se le considere adecuada. Sin embargo, evaluar el cumplimiento de esta directriz en las ciudades no es una tarea sencilla, dada la dificultad que representan su conceptualización y operacionalización. En este sentido, el objetivo del artículo es construir un concepto de adecuación cultural susceptible de medición a escala intraurbana. Para ello, se utilizó el enfoque de las capacidades como sustento teórico y el Índice de Desarrollo Humano como metodología análoga, lo que permitió proponer un Índice Sintético de Adecuación Cultural de la Vivienda que se aplicó en la evaluación de la ciudad de Mexicali, México. Como parte de los resultados, se identificó que los habitantes de más de la mitad del parque habitacional de Mexicali poseen pocas posibilidades de personalizar su vivienda conforme a sus repertorios culturales.

Cultural adequacy, Adequate housing, intra-urban indicators, capability approach adecuación cultural enfoque de las capacidades indicadores intraurbanos vivienda adecuada CIENCIAS SOCIALES CIENCIAS SOCIALES

ANÁLISIS DE LA APTITUD RECREATIVA ORIENTADA A LA GESTIÓN AMBIENTAL DE LA PLAYA EL COCHÓRIT, SONORA, MÉXICO

GISELA GARCIA MORALES PEDRO ROSALES GRANO Gustavo Padilla Jose Alfredo Arreola Lizárraga Jaqueline García Hernández Alfredo Ortega Rubio Renato Arturo Mendoza Salgado (2017, [Artículo])

"La evaluación de la aptitud recreativa de playas es un asunto clave para diseñar estrategias de manejo. El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar la aptitud recreativa y proponer una estrategia de manejo en la playa El Cochórit, municipio de Empalme, Sonora. La aptitud recreativa de la playa se evaluó con base en la percepción de los usuarios y en indicadores biofísicos. El valor estimado de la aptitud recreativa de la playa, según la percepción de los usuarios fue de 0.71 (medio) y con base en los indicadores biofísicos fue de 0.47 (medio). La aptitud recreativa de la playa requiere ser mejorada con atención prioritaria en: (1) inversión en infraestructura y servicios, (2) mantenimiento de limpieza, (3) implementación de programas de educación ambiental y (4) monitoreo anual de la calidad sanitaria del agua y de la arena. La estrategia de gestión ambiental debe considerar incluir a la playa El Cochórit en el Programa Playas Limpias de la Comisión Nacional del Agua con el propósito de orientar esfuerzos hacia su certificación como “playa limpia”."

"The assessment of recreational beaches fitness is a key issue to design management strategies. The aim of this work was to evaluate the recreational fitness and propose a management strategy for the Beach El Cochórit, municipality of Empalme, Sonora. The recreational beach fitness was evaluated based on the perception of users, as well as biophysical indicators. The estimated value of recreational suitability of the beach perceived by users was 0.71 (average) and based on the biophysical indicators was 0.47 (average). Fitness recreational beach needs to be improved focusing on: (1) investing in infrastructure and services, (2) maintaining cleanliness, (3) implementing environmental education programs and (4) monitoring annually the sanitary quality of water and sand. The environmental management strategy should consider including the beach El Cochorit in the Clean Beaches Program of the National Water Commission in order to address efforts towards the certification of “clean beach”."

playas recreativas, manejo de playas, indicadores ambientales, percepción pública recreational beaches, management of beaches, environmental indicators, public perception CIENCIAS FÍSICO MATEMÁTICAS Y CIENCIAS DE LA TIERRA CIENCIAS DE LA TIERRA Y DEL ESPACIO GEOLOGÍA GEOLOGÍA AMBIENTAL GEOLOGÍA AMBIENTAL

Variación fenotípica de caracteres vegetativos y reproductivos de Hesperoyucca whipplei (Asparagaceae) en Baja California, México

Phenotypic variation of vegetative and reproductive traits of Hesperoyucca whipplei (Asparagaceae) in Baja California, Mexico

Melissa Michelle Alvarez Mexia (2024, [Tesis de maestría])

La variación fenotípica hereditaria de diferentes órganos de las plantas se ha relacionado con adaptaciones para tolerar el ambiente abiótico y mantener relaciones ecológicas. Específicamente se ha planteado que los órganos vegetativos de las plantas están bajo selección por disponibilidad de agua o luz, mientras que la variación de rasgos florales en especies con polinización zoocórica está fuertemente influenciada por sus polinizadores. Esto sugiere que la fortaleza de la covariación fenotípica entre órganos vegetativos y florales puede ser diferente dependiendo del estrés ambiental considerado. Según la hipótesis de Berg, las plantas con sistemas de polinización especializados desvinculan la morfología floral de la variación fenotípica en los caracteres vegetativos debido a la presión selectiva del polinizador. Se probó esto en la yuca de chaparral, Hesperoyucca whipplei, ya que se distribuye en diferentes ambientes a lo largo de la península de Baja California, y es polinizada únicamente por la polilla Tegeticula maculata. Esperamos que la heterogeneidad ambiental afecte principalmente a los niveles de variación fenotípica de los órganos vegetativos de las poblaciones de H. whipplei, causando cambios en la morfología entre poblaciones. Sin embargo, dada la polinización obligada, esperamos que la variación de los rasgos florales sea menor que la variación de sus rasgos vegetativos. Para probarlo, se tomaron datos morfométricos vegetativos y reproductivos de 202 individuos en 16 localidades. Los resultados mostraron amplia variación fenotípica en los caracteres vegetativos y reproductivos no florales y una menor variación fenotípica en los caracteres florales, especialmente el pistilo, con el cual interactúa directamente el polinizador. La temperatura y precipitación influyeron significativamente en la variación de la altura total de la planta y sobre los pétalos y pistilo en las flores. Se detectó una asociación entre los caracteres vegetativos y los reproductivos no florales, mientras que no se encontró una relación con los caracteres florales. A partir de esto se identificaron dos módulos fenotípicos altamente integrados, uno vegetativo y uno floral, lo que respalda la hipótesis de Berg y sugiere que experimentan presiones de selección diferentes. Nuestros hallazgos resaltan como la variación fenotípica en poblaciones de plantas es modulada por condiciones ambientales e interacciones ecológicas.

Hereditary phenotypic variation of different plant organs has been related to adaptations that allow them to tolerate the abiotic environment and maintain ecological relationships with other organisms. Specifically, it has been proposed that the vegetative organs of the plants are under selection due to the availability of water or sunlight, while the variation of floral traits in species with zoochoric pollination is strongly influenced by their pollinators. This suggests that the strength of the phenotypic co-variation between vegetative and floral organs may be different depending on the environmental stress considered. According to Berg's hypothesis, plants with specialized pollination systems dissociate floral morphology from phenotypic variation in vegetative traits due to selective pressure from the pollinator. The chaparral yuca, Hesperoyucca whipplei, is a good model to test this, since it is distributed in different environments along the Baja California peninsula, and this plant is pollinated only by the Tegeticula maculata moth. We expect that environmental heterogeneity primarily affects the levels of phenotypic variation of the vegetative organs of H. whipplei populations, causing changes in morphology between populations. However, given the obligatory pollination by the moth, we expect that the variation in the floral traits will be lesser than the variation in their vegetative traits. To test this, vegetative and reproductive morphometric data were taken from 202 individuals in 16 locations. The results showed wide phenotypic variation in vegetative and non-floral reproductive traits and lower phenotypic variation in floral traits, especially the pistil, which directly interacts with the pollinator. Temperature and precipitation significantly influenced the variation of the total height of the plant and on the petals and pistil in the flowers. An association was detected between vegetative and non-floral reproductive characters, while no relationship was found with floral characters. From this, two highly integrated phenotypic modules, one vegetative and one floral, were identified, which supports Berg's hypothesis and suggests that they experience different selection pressures. Our findings highlight how phenotypic variation in plant populations is modulated by environmental conditions and ecological interactions.

Baja California, Hesperoyucca whipplei, hipótesis de Berg, variación fenotípica Baja California, Berg’s hypothesis, Hesperoyucca whipplei, phenotypic variation BIOLOGÍA Y QUÍMICA CIENCIAS DE LA VIDA BIOLOGÍA VEGETAL (BOTÁNICA) ECOLOGÍA VEGETAL ECOLOGÍA VEGETAL

Insights into the transboundary stock structure of white seabass, Atractoscion nobilis, along the coast of California and Baja California

Perspectivas sobre la estructura del stock transfronterizo de la corvina blanca, Atractoscion nobilis, a lo largo de la costa de California y de Baja California

ARTURO FAJARDO YAMAMOTO (2023, [Tesis de doctorado])

The white seabass (Atractoscion nobilis) is a transboundary fishery resource that ranges from California, U.S., to Baja California Sur, Mexico, and within the north of the Gulf of California. It has been proposed two stock structure hypotheses that exist across their range in the eastern Pacific. However, still there are important data gaps to fill to understand the stock structure of this species. The aim of this study was to develop more information to understand the Pacific stock structure of the white seabass by (1) enhancing the baseline (catch-effort) information for the Mexican WSB fishery, (2) estimating the size-at-maturity and (3) describe the horizontal movement patterns and habitat utilization of adult WSB. Results suggest that the landings of the Mexican white seabass fishery showed an overall increase over the past 70 years. Landing fluctuations were associated with shifts in contextual factors, such as market changes and geopolitical events. For the past 20 years, the majority of harvest has come from Baja California Sur, with landings concentrated primarily in the fishery offices of Ciudad Constitución, Punta Abreojos, and San Carlos. White seabass females from southern Baja California mature at a size of 72.7 cm, while the males mature at a size of 58 cm. Moreover, regional differences of maturity were estimated where WSB from California matures larger than those from southern Baja California. A connectivity degree of white seabass adult was estimated between the coast of California and the west coast of the Baja California Peninsula. Overall, areas around islands and coastal areas are high-use areas for adult WSB. The Channel Islands, the region off Coronado Islands-Ensenada, the San Quintin region, and the Vizcaino Bay region are essential areas for WSB since different WSB ontogenic stages have been recorded. The spawning (March-September) and none spawning (October-February) seasons for adult WSB have marked differences in habitat utilization. Two migration pathways were estimated: one, a dispersal movement where adult white seabass moved northward to an area around the Channel Islands in California and a southward movement along the coast of the west coast of the Baja California Peninsula where multiple high-use areas were occupied and, second a return movement from north and south areas to a constrained and restricted area off the coast of Tijuana and San Quintin. Considering the information generated in this thesis, we have ...

La corvina blanca (Atractoscion nobilis) es un recurso pesquero transfronterizo que se extiende desde California, EE. UU., hasta Baja California Sur, México, y dentro del norte del Golfo de California. Se han propuesto dos hipótesis que describen la estructura del stock de la corvina blanca a lo largo de su área de distribución en el Pacífico oriental. Sin embargo, aún quedan vacíos en la información biológica-pesquera que nos permita comprender de una manera más robusta la estructura del stock. El objetivo de este estudio fue el desarrollar más información que nos permita comprender la estructura del stock de la corvina blanca que habita el Pacífico mediante (1) la reconstrucción de los desembarques de la pesquería mexicana, (2) la estimación del tamaño de madurez y (3) la descripción de los patrones de movimiento horizontal y el uso de hábitat de la corvina blanca adulta. Los resultados sugieren que los desembarques de la pesquería mexicana de corvina blanca mostraron un aumento en los últimos 70 años. Durante los últimos 20 años, la mayor parte de la captura proviene de Baja California Sur, concentrándose los desembarques en las oficinas pesqueras de Ciudad Constitución, Punta Abreojos y San Carlos. Las hembras de corvina blanca del sur de la Península de Baja California Sur maduran a una talla de 72,7 cm, mientras que los machos lo hacen a una talla de 58 cm. Además, se estimaron diferencias regionales de madurez, siendo que las corvinas blancas de California maduran a una talla mayor que las del sur de la Península de Baja California. Se estimó un cierto grado de conectividad de la corvina blanca adulta entre la costa de California y la costa oeste de la península de Baja California. En general, las áreas alrededor de las islas y las zonas costeras son zonas de alto uso para la corvina blanca adulta. Las islas del Canal, la región frente a las islas Coronado-Ensenada, la región de San Quintín y la región de la bahía Vizcaíno son zonas esenciales para la corvina blanca, ya que se han registrado diferentes fases ontogénicas en dichas zonas. El uso del hábitat de las corvinas blancas adultas durante la temporada de desove (marzo-septiembre) y la no desove (octubre-febrero) fue diferente. Se estimaron dos rutas migratorias: una, con movimientos de dispersión donde la corvina blanca adulta se desplazó hacia el norte alcanzando el área alrededor de las Islas del Canal en California, y un movimiento hacia el sur, a lo largo de la costa del litoral oeste...

White seabass, stock structure, landings reconstruction, size-at-maturity, habitat utilization Corvina blanca, estructura del stock, reconstrucción de desembarques, talla de madurez sexual, uso de hábitat CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA CIENCIAS AGRARIAS PECES Y FAUNA SILVESTRE DINÁMICA DE LAS POBLACIONES DINÁMICA DE LAS POBLACIONES

Variaciones en un transecto profundo frente a la costa de Nayarit, México

Emilio Palacios Hernández Luis Brito Castillo LAURA ELENA CARRILLO BIBRIEZCA CARLOS EDUARDO CABRERA RAMOS JORGE MANUEL MONTES ARECHIGA (2022, [Artículo])

"Six oceanographic cruises in a NE-SW transect were made nearshore of southern Sinaloa and Nayarit from March 2006 through May 2008, where no in situ hydrographic data are available. Applying the Thermodynamic Equation of Seawater 2010 (TEOS-10) to the observations, the hydrography and geostrophic currents of the region were characterized. Results indicate that surface variability (0-50 m) emerged mainly from seasonal atmospheric forcing. A relative salinity maximum was present during all cruises below this surface layer, which is attributed to a water mass intrusion of Subtropical Subsurface Water that could be associated with the Mexican Coastal Current. Another water mass intrusion is from the California Current. Samples from the 2007-2008 La Niña produced an uncommon circulation, where water flowing from the Gulf of California along the coast of Sinaloa was observed, opposite to what is commonly known as a mean circulation. This uncommon circulation matches the generation of anticyclonic eddies around the Islas Marias archipelago."

Gulf of California, Mexican Coastal Current, Nayarit Coast, seasonal variation, La Niña CIENCIAS FÍSICO MATEMÁTICAS Y CIENCIAS DE LA TIERRA CIENCIAS DE LA TIERRA Y DEL ESPACIO OCEANOGRAFÍA OCEANOGRAFÍA DESCRIPTIVA OCEANOGRAFÍA DESCRIPTIVA

Spatial Effects of Urban Transport on Air Pollution in Metropolitan Municipalities of Mexico

GERZAIN AVILES POLANCO Marco Antonio Almendárez Hernández Luis Felipe Beltrán Morales Alfredo Ortega Rubio (2022, [Artículo])

"The objective of this work was to estimate the local effects and spatial spillover effects of the number of vehicles, use of urban public transport, and population density on nitrogen oxide emissions for 405 metropolitan municipalities in Mexico in 2016. To this end, a Spatial Durbin Model was estimated. We found positive direct effects of the number of vehicles and population density and negative direct effects of the use of urban public transport. The number of vehicles in circulation had negative spillover effects on the nitrogen oxide emissions of neighboring municipalities. These results indicate that the design of public policy programs aimed at reducing air pollution in Mexico should be based on coordination across metropolitan municipalities."

private car transportation, air pollution, nitrogen oxide emissions, spatial spillover effects, metropolitan municipalities CIENCIAS FÍSICO MATEMÁTICAS Y CIENCIAS DE LA TIERRA CIENCIAS DE LA TIERRA Y DEL ESPACIO METEOROLOGÍA CONTAMINACIÓN ATMOSFÉRICA CONTAMINACIÓN ATMOSFÉRICA

Contrasting spatial patterns in active-fire and fire-suppressed mediterranean climate old-growth mixed conifer forests

Danny L. Fry  (2014, [Artículo])

In Mediterranean environments in western North America, historic fire regimes in frequent-fire conifer forests are highly variable both temporally and spatially. This complexity influenced forest structure and spatial patterns, but some of this diversity has been lost due to anthropogenic disruption of ecosystem processes, including fire. Information from reference forest sites can help management efforts to restore forests conditions that may be more resilient to future changes in disturbance regimes and climate. In this study, we characterize tree spatial patterns using four-ha stem maps from four old-growth, Jeffrey pine-mixed conifer forests, two with active-fire regimes in northwestern Mexico and two that experienced fire exclusion in the southern Sierra Nevada. Most of the trees were in patches, averaging six to 11 trees per patch at 0.007 to 0.014 ha-1, and occupied 27-46% of the study areas. Average canopy gap sizes (0.04 ha) covering 11-20% of the area were not significantly different among sites. The putative main effects of fire exclusion were higher densities of single trees in smaller size classes, larger proportion of trees (≥56%) in large patches (≥10 trees), and decreases in spatial complexity. While a homogenization of forest structure has been a typical result from fire exclusion, some similarities in patch, single tree, and gap attributes were maintained at these sites. These within-stand descriptions provide spatially relevant benchmarks from which to manage for structural heterogeneity in frequent-fire forest types.

article, climate, controlled study, ecosystem fire history, forest structure, geographic distribution, geographic mapping, land use, mathematical computing, mathematical model, Mexico, spatial analysis, taiga, United States, comparative study, conife CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA

Waterhole detection using a vegetation index in desert bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis cremnobates) habitat

Jonathan Gabriel Escobar Flores (2019, [Artículo])

In arid ecosystems, desert bighorn sheep are dependent on natural waterholes, particularly in summer when forage is scarce and environmental temperatures are high. To detect waterholes in Sierra Santa Isabel, which is the largest area of desert bighorn sheep habitat in the state of Baja California, Mexico, we used the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and normalized difference water index (NDWI) from Sentinel-2 satellite images. Waterhole detection was based on the premise that sites with greater water availability, where NDVI was higher, can be identified by their density of vegetation greenness. For the detected waterholes, we estimated the escape terrain (presence of cliffs or steep, rocky slopes) around each by the vector ruggedness measure to determine their potential use by desert bighorn sheep based on the animals’ presence as documented by camera traps. We detected 14 waterholes with the NDVI of which 11 were known by land owners and 3 were unrecorded. Desert bighorn were not detected in waterholes with high values of escape terrain, i.e., flat areas. Waterhole detection by NDVI is a simple method, and with the assistance and knowledge of the inhabitants of the Sierra, it was possible to confirm the presence each waterhole in the field. © 2019 Escobar-Flores et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

Article, bighorn sheep, environmental aspects and related phenomena, environmental parameters, habitat, Mexico, nonhuman, normalized difference vegetation index, normalized difference water index, water availability, waterhole, animal, bighorn sheep, CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA CIENCIAS AGRARIAS CIENCIA FORESTAL CIENCIA FORESTAL

Freshwater exchanges and surface salinity in the Colombian basin, Caribbean Sea

Emilio Beier (2017, [Artículo])

Despite the heavy regional rainfall and considerable discharge of many rivers into the Colombian Basin, there have been few detailed studies about the dilution of Caribbean Surface Water and the variability of salinity in the southwestern Caribbean. An analysis of the precipitation, evaporation and runoff in relation to the climate variability demonstrates that although the salt balance in the Colombian Basin overall is in equilibrium, the area south of 12N is an important dilution sub-basin. In the southwest of the basin, in the region of the Panama-Colombia Gyre, Caribbean Sea Water is diluted by precipitation and runoff year round, while in the northeast, off La Guajira, its salinity increases from December to May by upwelling. At the interannual scale, continental runoff is related to El Niño Southern Oscillation, and precipitation and evaporation south of 12°N are related to the Caribbean Low Level Jet. During El Niño years the maximum salinification occurs in the dry season (December-February) while in La Niña years the maximum dilution (or freshening), reaching La Guajira Coastal Zone, occurs in the wet season (September-November). © 2017 Beier et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

sea water, fresh water, Article, Caribbean, dilution, dry season, El Nino, environmental parameters, evaporation, freshwater exchange, geographic distribution, molecular weight, oscillation, precipitation, river basin, salinity, seasonal variation, s CIENCIAS FÍSICO MATEMÁTICAS Y CIENCIAS DE LA TIERRA CIENCIAS DE LA TIERRA Y DEL ESPACIO OCEANOGRAFÍA OCEANOGRAFÍA