La frontera mercantil del turismo y su dinámica de apropiación y capitalización de la arena como recurso natural [The mercantile frontier of tourism and its dynamics of appropriation and capitalization of sand as a natural resource]

En el presente artículo se expone una crítica referente a la extracción de arena que ocurrió en el Banco Punta Norte en la isla Cozumel y La Ollita II en Isla Mujeres en el Caribe mexicano. Estos hechos tienen especial relevancia para evidenciar cómo el capitalismo se apropia de la materia prima (recursos naturales) de forma gratuita o barata. Esta dinámica se produce bajo la frontera mercantil del turismo, la cual consiste en la apropiación y capitalización de la arena para solucionar la erosión de las costas, principalmente de la zona hotelera de Cancún, bastión de la actividad turística en México, presenciando el robo del subsuelo a través de la acumulación por desposesión para el fortalecimiento de la dinámica capitalista. De este modo, el artículo busca contribuir a los estudios críticos del turismo, especialmente en los conflictos socioambientales.

Parámetros poblacionales de Nototropis minikoi y Ampithoe longimana (Crustacea: Amphipoda) en dos Islas del Mar Caribe mexicano

Se analizó la estructura de la población, el crecimiento, la fecundidad y la supervivencia de Nototropis minikoi y Ampithoe longimana en Isla Contoy e Isla Mujeres del caribe mexicano. Se midieron la temperatura, salinidad y oxígeno disuelto in situ. Se recolectaron un total de 2.815 anfípodos de ambas especies: 1.407 de Nototropis minikoi y 1.408 de Ampithoe longimana. La temperatura presentó valores de 26 a 27 °C, salinidad de 35 a 36 unidades y oxígeno disuelto de 6 a 9 mg L-1. Los juveniles representaron el mayor porcentaje con 55 a 73% en N. minikoi y del 57 a 67% en A. longimana. Con el método de Bhattacharya se encontraron de 4 a 5 clases modales. Con el modelo de von Bertalanffy se encontró que las hembras presentaron la mayor longitud máxima con 10,88 mm (k= 0,35) y 14,54 mm (k= 0,24) en N. minikoi y A. longimana, respectivamente. El promedio de huevos fue de 6,83 ± 4,50 a 8,55 ± 5,22 en N. minikoi y 7,55 ± 4,82 a 8,33 ± 3,79 en A. longimana. La supervivencia fue de 13,70 y 36,63% para N. minikoi y de 13,31 y 28,11% para A. longimana, lo cual corresponde a especies con estrategia “r”. Los resultados evidenciaron una relación costo-beneficio entre los parámetros poblacionales, dado que a una tasa de crecimiento lenta y un mayor número de clases modales se alcanzan tamaños máximos mayores.

A Dangerous Crutch or Reliable Option: The Context of Cesarean Births on Isla Mujeres

Cesarean births are serious and costly surgical procedures that can be lifesaving in emergencies, but are becoming more preferable to vaginal births globally due to their comparative predictability and relative quickness. For example, a mother I spoke with had a two and a half day delivery, while a cesarean birth only takes around two hours. Cesarean births are predictable in that a doctor is in control of what is happening, instead of complimenting the natural process and rhythm of the laboring mother. This makes cesarean births preferable for many doctors and for some mothers as well. Ideally, the rate of cesarean sections would be 10-15 percent of all births, according to the World Health Organization, but in Mexico, nearly half of all births are cesarean births (Freyermuth, Munos, and del Pilar Ochoa 2017; WHO 2015). This paper shows how macro-level structures impact the type of birth a mother on Isla Mujeres wishes to have, assuming she is aware of such resources. Data comes from formal interviews with doctors and immigrants on Isla Mujeres, informal interviews with Mexican women living on Isla Mujeres, surveys, and participation observation at the Community Hospital.

A Review of the Carolinean Province Americoliva nivosa Complex (Gastropoda: Olividae) with the Description of a New Subspecies

The common eastern North America and Gulf of Mexico olive shell, Americoliva nivosa (Marrat, 1871), is now known to comprise five separate subspecies that are distributed from Cape Hatteras to the Florida Keys, throughout the Gulf of Mexico to Isla Mujeres, and into the open Atlantic as far as Bermuda. The subspecies, which have disjunct distributions, include: Americoliva nivosa clenchi new subspecies (described here) which ranges from Cape Hatteras to Fort Pierce, Florida; Americoliva nivosa bollingi (Clench, 1934), which ranges from Palm Beach County, Florida south to the Florida Keys and Dry Tortugas; Americoliva nivosa choctaw Petuch and Myers, 2014, which ranges from Apalachicola to Pensacola along the Florida Panhandle of the northern Gulf of Mexico; Americoliva nivosa maya (Petuch and Sargent, 1986), which ranges from the Bay of Campeche to Isla Mujeres along the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico; and Americoliva nivosa nivosa (Marrat, 1871), which is endemic to the island of Bermuda. All five of these distinct subspecies may have evolved from a common ancestor, the mid-Pleistocene (Ionian Age) Americoliva nivosa murielae (Olsson, 1967) from the Bermont Formation of southern Florida. A type locality is also designated for Marrat’s non-localized Americoliva nivosa.

It's Not a Problem Until It's A Problem: How Studying Social Practice Can Shed Light on Health Culture and Type 2 Diabetes in Isla Mujeres

Diabetes is a serious public health problem in Mexico with a particular concern in Isla Mujeres. With its sparkling beaches, delicious ceviche, and dazzling sunsets, the Caribbean island of Isla Mujeres in Quintana Roo, Mexico, is paradise to all; nevertheless, an estimated 80 percent of the population has Type 2 diabetes. In a primarily isleño (islander) population, I conducted a mixed method ethnographic study that integrated an anthropological lens with an applied research design. The rate of Type 2 diabetes within this population highlights the need to include in-depth, qualitative exploration of local context, social environment, and isleño culture when considering how to create change. Clinical data, formal and informal interviews, and surveys reveal the need to improve accessible patient education programs. The focus of this ethnography study is to understand the cultural and societal domains of food as a social practice, nutrition, and education that have led to this food-related disease.

Biodiversity associated to the sponges and algae of the sculptures of the Underwater Museum of Art (“MUSA”), Cancún, Mexico.

The famous Underwater Museum of Art or MUSA (>520 sculptures, 4-8m depth), located between Isla Mujeres and Cancún, Mexico, in a National Marine Park, helps in relieving tourist pressure on the worldwide-known reefs of the area, since many divers visit it annually (around 400 000). The hard substrate created by the sculptures enhances the area biodiversity by at least 16-20-fold (Rugosity measures). We compared the macrofauna associated to the dominant algae (Lobophora variegata and Dictyota bartraryresii) and sponge (Amphimedon compressa) growing on the sculptures and their variations with time. The two algae also have annual cycles and dominate at different times of the year, affecting their associated fauna. Samplings (quadrats 20X20cm) with SCUBA diving were made from March 2014 to February 2015. For this study, we identified 2064 marine invertebrates of the four main macrofauna groups: Crustaceans dominated with 1098 (53%), followed by Polychaetes: 401 (19%), Echinoderms: 325 (16%) and Mollusks: 240 (12%). Among the latter, the gastropod Cerithium litteratum dominated overwhelmingly accounting for 75% of all the Mollusks. Ophiactis sp. (158 orgs, 49%) and Ophiactis savignyi (64 orgs, 20%) dominated among Echinoderms, amphipods among Crustaceans (705 organisms, 64.2%), syllids (110 orgs, 27%) and sabellids (104 orgs, 26%) among Polychaetes. Other groups such as Sipunculans, Ascidians, Corals and Hydroids accounted for less than 1% and were not found in the sponge. Inside the sponge, Echinoderms, all juveniles, dominate overwhelmingly (93% of all Echinoderms were found there), Crustaceans follow. Polychaetes and Mollusks were almost as abundant in algae and sponge. This dominating sponge species constitutes a better shelter and probably also good feeding grounds for some macrofauna, especially Ophiuroids. C. litteratum, and the echinoids, being herbivorous, thrive preferably in the algal environment, especially L. variegata, and were never found in sponges, also the case for all large invertebrates.

Biodiversity associated to the sponges and algae of the sculptures of the Underwater Museum of Art (“MUSA”), Cancún, Mexico.

The famous Underwater Museum of Art or MUSA (>520 sculptures, 4-8m depth), located between Isla Mujeres and Cancún, Mexico, in a National Marine Park, helps in relieving tourist pressure on the worldwide-known reefs of the area, since many divers visit it annually (around 400 000). The hard substrate created by the sculptures enhances the area biodiversity by at least 16-20-fold (Rugosity measures). We compared the macrofauna associated to the dominant algae (Lobophora variegata and Dictyota bartraryresii) and sponge (Amphimedon compressa) growing on the sculptures and their variations with time. The two algae also have annual cycles and dominate at different times of the year, affecting their associated fauna. Samplings (quadrats 20X20cm) with SCUBA diving were made from March 2014 to February 2015. For this study, we identified 2064 marine invertebrates of the four main macrofauna groups: Crustaceans dominated with 1098 (53%), followed by Polychaetes: 401 (19%), Echinoderms: 325 (16%) and Mollusks: 240 (12%). Among the latter, the gastropod Cerithium litteratum dominated overwhelmingly accounting for 75% of all the Mollusks. Ophiactis sp. (158 orgs, 49%) and Ophiactis savignyi (64 orgs, 20%) dominated among Echinoderms, amphipods among Crustaceans (705 organisms, 64.2%), syllids (110 orgs, 27%) and sabellids (104 orgs, 26%) among Polychaetes. Other groups such as Sipunculans, Ascidians, Corals and Hydroids accounted for less than 1% and were not found in the sponge. Inside the sponge, Echinoderms, all juveniles, dominate overwhelmingly (93% of all Echinoderms were found there), Crustaceans follow. Polychaetes and Mollusks were almost as abundant in algae and sponge. This dominating sponge species constitutes a better shelter and probably also good feeding grounds for some macrofauna, especially Ophiuroids. C. litteratum, and the echinoids, being herbivorous, thrive preferably in the algal environment, especially L. variegata, and were never found in sponges, also the case for all large invertebrates.

Criptofauna en rocas de Punta Nizuc, Caribe mexicano y su utilidad como biomonitor potencial

Para completar el diágnóstico de la calidad ambiental en el Parque Marino Nacional Isla Mujeres-Cancún-Nizuc Caribe mexicano, se estudió la posible utilidad de la criptofauna: de rocas como monitora de impacto. Se trazó un transecto a lo largo de un gradiente de intensidad de visitantes a Punta Nizuc. Se visitaron tres lugares (1.5-4 m proO, a 50, 250 Y 500 m de distancia de la plataforma turistica, y en cada uno de ellos se recogieron tres rocas. Los 1368 organismos encontrados fueron identificados y se distribuyen en 2 18 especies; los grupos de mayor riqueza específica fueron los poliquetos (64 spp), los moluscos (46 spp) y los crustáceos (36 spp). Se estudió la variación en número y en biomasa a lo largo del supuesto gradiente ambiental, y también la relación de algunos descriptores de la comunidad (diversidad, dominancia) con la distancia a la plataforma, con la densidad de la roca y con la profundidad. Se analizaron algunos índices que utilizan 10glO(biomasa + 1) y las curvas de abundancia-biomasa para determinar la calidad del ambiente. Se realizaron análisis de agrupamiento (Bray-Curtis y Jaccard) para determinar la afinidad entre estaciones. Para evaluar la funciorialidad de la suficiencia taxonómica en fondos coralinos, se compararon los resultados de dominancia de Berger-Parker para las especies y familias. Las agrupaciones entre las rocas ilustran dos grupos principales, uno formado por las rocas recolectadas cerca de la plataforma (zona perturbada) y la otra formada por el resto de las rocas en las áreas con mediano y nulo impacto.