Ecological Vulnerability of Adult Female Marine Turtles as Indicators of Opportunities for Regional Socioecosystem Management in the Southern Gulf of Mexico

Planning for marine ecosystems management demands spatially explicit information about structural and functional components, in a tradeoff between including the most taxa and keeping it functional. Sentinel, umbrella, and surrogate taxa are strategic for developing indexes that account for other associated species and contribute to a sustainable administration of our seas. Marine turtles feature the former species descriptions, and the knowledge on their ecology contributes to design conservation and restoration strategies in regions they occupy, such as the Gulf of Mexico. Several administrative tools exist to govern marine territories for biodiversity conservation, and assessing how these tools interact with the ecological vulnerability of endangered species is crucial for improving public policies. We assessed the spatial interactions among ecological sensitivity, vulnerability, and the potential impacts on four marine turtle species in the southern Gulf of Mexico and northwestern Caribbean Sea with territorial management tools (natural protected areas, marine priority sites, and ecoregions). A small percentage of the most vulnerable areas is inside natural protected areas, while marine priority sites include a higher percentage. We identified spatial covering gaps that need to be addressed to ensure the conservation and recovery of these endangered species in the Gulf of Mexico and proposed key regions for maximizing territorial conservation.

Seasonal and interannual variability in the density of the postlarvae of Litopenaeus setiferus and Farfantepenaeus duorarum in Términos Lagoon, Gulf of Mexico

White shrimps, Litopenaeus setiferus (Linnaeus, 1767) and pink shrimps, Farfantepenaeus duorarum (Burkenroad, 1939) are two pivotal species in the southern Gulf of Mexico, due to their ecological and economic importance. In this study we present observational evidence of the seasonal and interannual variability of both species in the Términos Lagoon (southern Gulf of Mexico). The results suggest that the hydrography of the water column and the surface circulation exert a strong influence on the density of both species. The results presented here contribute to a better understanding of the dynamics of both species and highlight the need to combine different methodologies to achieve a better interpretation of this system.

Supplemental Material: Siliciclastic provenance of the Cenozoic stratigraphic succession in the southern Gulf of Mexico: Insights from U-Pb detrital zircon geochronology and heavy minerals analysis

Extended geological framework, methodology, and analytical data<br>

Supplemental Material: Siliciclastic provenance of the Cenozoic stratigraphic succession in the southern Gulf of Mexico: Insights from U-Pb detrital zircon geochronology and heavy minerals analysis

Extended geological framework, methodology, and analytical data<br>