The Ría Lagartos mangroves

ecoregion An ecoregion (ecological region) or ecozone (ecological zone) is an ecologically and geographically defined area that is smaller than a bioregion, which in turn is smaller than a biogeographic realm. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of l ...

(WWF ID: NT1430) covers mangrove habitats of along the northern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula, including the Ria Lagartos Lagoon ('Ria' meaning lagoon). A prominent section of the ecoregion is covered by the

Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve ( es, Reserva de la Biósfera Ría Lagartos) (established 2004) is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in the state of Yucatán, Mexico. The reserve is located at the eastern end of the coastal strip of the Yucatán Peninsu ...

. The site is an important area for migratory birds, fish, and sea turtles.

Location and description

The ecoregion stretches across 300 km of the northeastern coast of the Yucatan Peninsul, from the coastal town of Chelem in the west to the coastal lagoons north of Cancun. The region also reaches inland for 50 km on flat land south of Playa las Coloradas. The distinctive character of the mangroves is partly due to the

karst Karst is a topography formed from the dissolution of soluble rocks such as limestone, dolomite, and gypsum. It is characterized by underground drainage systems with sinkholes and caves. It has also been documented for more weathering-resistant ro ...

(limestone) topography and freshwater source. The ecoregion is surrounded on the land side by the Yucatan dry forests ecoregion.

Climate

The climate of the ecoregion is '' Tropical savanna climate - dry winter'' (

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...

(Aw)). This climate is characterized by relatively even temperatures throughout the year, and a pronounced dry season. The driest month has less than 60 mm of precipitation, and is drier than the average month.

Flora and fauna

Characteristic tree species of the ecoregion are the red mangrove (''

Rhizophora mangle ''Rhizophora mangle'', the red mangrove, is distributed in Estuary, estuarine ecosystems throughout the tropics. Its Vivipary, viviparous "seeds", in actuality called propagules, become fully mature plants before dropping off the parent tree. Th ...

'') and the black mangrove ('' Avicennia germinans''). Mangroves are found in two general types: pygmy mangroves (plants under 2 meters in height), and fringe mangroves (where trees may reach 20 meters.) Over 280 species of aquatic birds have been recorded in the region, include the cormorant (''

Phalacrocorax ''Phalacrocorax'' is a genus of fish-eating birds in the cormorant family Phalacrocoracidae. Members of this genus are also known as the Old World cormorants. Taxonomy The genus ''Phalacrocorax'' was introduced by the French zoologist Mathurin ...

''), wood stork (''

Mycteria americana The wood stork (''Mycteria americana'') is a large American wading bird in the family Ciconiidae (storks), the only member of the family to breed in North America. It was formerly called the "wood ibis", though it is not an ibis. It is found ...

''), boat-billed heron ('' Cochlearius cochlearia''), and the white egret (''

Egretta alba The great egret (''Ardea alba''), also known as the common egret, large egret, or (in the Old World) great white egret or great white heron is a large, widely distributed egret. The four subspecies are found in Asia, Africa, the Americas, and ...

''). 73 fish species are supported by the mangroves of the region.

Protected areas

Officially protected areas of the ecoregion include: *

* Reserva Estatal de Dzilam de Bravo

References

{{reflist Neotropical ecoregions Ecoregions of Mexico Mangrove ecoregions Natural history of the Yucatán Peninsula