UNESCO - MAB Biosphere Reserves Directory

			Biosphere Reserve Information
			Mexico BARRANCA DE METZTILÁN


	General Description		The State of Hidalgo delimits physiographic provinces of Sierra Madre Oriental and Eje Neovolcánico. Its irregular boundaries delimit the Biosphere Reserve, although the latter is mainly situated within the Sierra Madre Oriental physiographic province. The shape of the site is quite long and irregular. The mild climate is related to altitude. While the mountains to the east and northeast reach 1 800 to 2 600 m, in the plain the elevation is approximately 1 200 to 1 300 m. The factors contributing to higher temperatures in the Barranca are the latitude and the adiabatic gradient. The site includes the municipalities of Acatlán, Atotonilco el Grande, Eloxochitlán, Huasca de Ocampo, Metztitlán, San Agustín Metzquititlán, Zacualtipán de Ángeles y Metepec. They include 135 communities and ranchers: 78 from Metztitlán, 10 from Eloxochitlán, 13 from St. Augustine Metzquititlán, 10 Huascar de Ocampo, 11 Atotonilco el Grande, 13 Acatlan, and 3 from Zacualtipán de Ángeles y Metepec. There are five communities within the biosphere reserve that are considered as indigenous, since more than 25% of their population speaks the native Ńha-Ńhu language. They are located in the municipality of Metztitlán and belong to the ethnic group Otomi.
	Major ecosystem type		Xeric or desert scrublands
	Major habitats & land cover types		desert scrublands, tropical deciduous forest, sub-mountain scrublands, conifer forest, grassland and riparian vegetation.
	Location		98° 23’ 00 and 98° 57’ 08 longitud W and 20° 14’ 15 and 20° 45’ 26 latitud N
	Area (hectares)
	Total		96,043
	Core area(s)		12,474.13
	Buffer zone(s)		83,568.81
	Transition area(s) when given
	Altitude (metres above sea level)		920 to 2600
	Year designated		2006
	Administrative authorities		Salvador Montes Quintero

	Brief description		Research activities are extremely important because they provide reliable information for decision-making regarding the management of natural resources. The biosphere reserve regularly receives research results from the studies conducted in the site, and a Forum for Conservation Research, including meetings of a Research Council that is composed of all academic and research institutions working in the biosphere Reserve meets annually. The Research Council is part of the Advisory Council and is thus actively involved in communication of scientific information, decision-making and planning for the local and regional development of the communities living in the biosphere reserve.
	*Specific variables...*
	Abiotic		Abiotic factors, climate, drought, erosion, geology, geomorphology, geophysics, habitat, monitoring/methodologies, topography.
	Biodiversity		Amphibians, arid/semi-arid, biodiversity, biogeography, biology, birds, community studies/communities, conservation, degraded areas, desertification, ecology, ecosystem assessment, ecosystem functioning/ecosystem structure, ecotone, endemic species, fauna, fishes, flora, forest systems, freshwater/inland water, genetic resources, lagoon systems, mammals, migrating populations/migration, natural medicinal products, natural resources, pests/diseases, phenology, plants, productivity, rare/endangered/threatened species, reintroduction, species inventorying/inventory, tropical humid forest, vegetation studies/plant cover, wetlands, wildlife.
	Socio-economic		Agriculture/Production systems, agroforestry, capacity building, cultural aspects, demography, economic studies, economically important species, fishery/fisheries, forestry, human health, local participation, pastoralism/pastoralists/grazing, people-nature relations/man/nature, recreation, resource use, social/socio-economic aspects, tourism, traditional practices/ethnology/traditional knowledge.
	Integrated monitoring		Ecosystem approach, education and public awareness, geographic information system/gis, infrastructure, institutional and legal aspects, interdisciplinary studies, land tenure, land use/land cover, landscape inventorying/monitoring, management issues, mapping, monitoring/methodologies, planning and zoning measures/zonation, policy issues, remote sensing, rural systems, sustainable development/sustainable use.

	Contact address		Elimelec Anzurez Vazquez Local 61 y 62, Núcleo E, Plaza las Americas, Colonia Valle de San Javier 42086 Pachuca, Hidalgo Mexico
	Telephone
	Fax
	E-mail		metztit@conanp.gob.mx mailto:smontes@conanp.gob.mx
	Web site		www.conanp.gob.mx

			n.a.

Last updated: 3/8/2011