Sistema Regional de Información
en línea para Revistas Científicas de América Latina,
el Caribe, España y Portugal

A Plantation Information System (SIPLAN) was designed and implemented to administrate commercial plantations established by PRODEPLAN (Programa para el Desarrollo de Plantaciones Forestales Comerciales) in Mexico. Users may interact with the system which includes a relational data base that is joined with a Geographical Information System in order to visualize plantations spatial distribution. SIPLAN represents a very useful tool which allows an efficient information´s administration for decision makers.

A close analysis of traditional geometries and volume equations in forest measurements lead us to propose the use of conic geometry by segments as an alternative method to approach the whole form of any regular tree bole, log or bolt. The model is general and applies to any solid of revolution and is supported on the truncated cone volume equation. It is called The Segmental Conic Model. The model accuracy depends on the number of segments and is exact in the limit when that number goes to infinity.

The relations between the radial parenchyma (uniseriate and multiseriate rays) and volumetric shrinkage and with the mechanical properties of eight Durango woods are presented. The mechanical properties studied are: static bending, compression parallel-to-grain, compression perpendicular-to-grain and shear parallel-to-grain. The relationship between the anatomical and physical properties 3 was determined through stepwise regression analysis. The dependent variables were the anatomical values and the independent ones were the physical and mechanical values. It was determined that the height and width of multiseriate rays are the anatomical characters with the greatest influence in all properties. It was concluded that the selection of oak wood species in the transformation processes is an urgent task and that the anatomical and physical characteristics that influence its management must be considered in order to utilize this resource in an optimal way and to be able to achieve the conservation of oak forests and the preservation of the ecological equilibrium of the places where they grow.

Multi-stakeholders involvement in forest ecosystems management is considered as one of the main pillars in Sustainable Forest Management (SFM). However, it is also seen as the “weak pillar” because of the required collaboration of multiple-stakeholders. In order to obtain this collaboration, the planner has to understand the perceptions and the ways different stakeholders influence forest management. He also has to identify the problems and conflicts related to this management. This paper states that a searching for alternatives to face problems related to the achievement of SFM requires situational (context) analysis of the stakeholders involved in forest management. In addition, a case study as research strategy is employed for testing this postulate. For this reason, the factors that foster and restrict a forest conservation project for SFM planning purposes in the municipality of Tetela del Volcán, Morelos, México, are analyzed and employed. The authors identified “the lack of a valuing culture of forest resources” as the main problem to achieve MFS. In order to tackle this complex problem, two strategic actions programs are built. One related to improve the budget for forest conservation and restoration, and other to empower the communication, coordination and negotiation of the stakeholders of the municipality.

The macroscopic and microscopic anatomical description of the wood of eight species of Quercus from Oaxaca are presented: Q. affinis Scheidw., Q. conzatti Trel., Q. laurina Humb. & Bonpl., Q. scytophylla Liebm. of the section Lobatae (red oaks) and Q. glabrescens Benth., Q. obtusata Humb. & Bonpl., Q. peduncularis Née y Q. rugosa Née of the section Quercus ( white oaks). One tree per species was recolected in the Capulalpam de Méndez and San Pedro Yolox municipalities of the Oaxaca State. The macroscopic study was made in wood samples of 12 cm x 7 cm x 1 cm and for the microscopic study slides of dissociated material and cuts were used. The material was obtained from logs of 1,30 m length which were cut from the base to the crown. Samples of wood and slides showing the typical planes of wood were made. For the quantitative elements an univariate statistic analysis was carried out. On their turn, these were classified on the basis of average values. Differences in wood color, type of porosity, size and distribution of pores, abundance of multiseriate rays size and cellular contents (crystals, gums and tylosis) between the species of both subgenus were observed.

In this study the wood anatomical description of 12 species characteristics from cloud forest in the State of México was carried out. For each species the qualitative and quantitative microscopic characters of wood are described. On the basis of the Runkel relationship, the quality of their fibers is classified to obtain pulp for paper. The morphological characteristics of each species are given, as well as their common names and national distribution. Eight species have growth rings formed by bands of fibers with lumens reduced and thick walls, or compressed radially, in the late wood. The porosity is diffuse; the vessels are small, with less than 100 μm diameter, and numerous. Several species presented vessel elements with scalariform perforation plates. Vessel elements and fibers were medium and long. In general the axial parenchyma is scarce and in seven species the rays are heterogeneous type I. These results are similar to those obtained in other regions. According to the relationship of Runkel it was found out that the fibers are of medium to good quality for paper.

The frequency of establishment of Arctostaphylos pungens (manzanita) in three ecologically similar sites subject to different fire regimes was assessed for localities in the Sierra Madre Occidental in Durango, México. We found that manzanita seedlings got established more often within the first two years following the fire. Plants are also able to establish themselves without the stimulus of fire, though in lower numbers. Fire intensity and litter depth play an important role in the establishment of  manzanita seedlings.

Durango, Mexico pine woods have higher resin content than those from southern US. For this reason, a biotechnological study to remove resinic acids and other pitch precursors in pine chips was performed to improve the production of a mechanical pulp mill. Forty nine native strains were isolated and some of them identified as Paecilomyces sp., Penicillum sp., Phialophora sp., Trichosporon sp., Rhodotorula sp., Cryptococcus sp. and Chryseomonas luteola. The later one was the most active in degrading resin components in the flask (87,3 %) and tested in preliminary heap leaching fermentation assays. Paecilomyces sp. was the second most effective (86,6 %) and tested in semisolid fermentation trials. Both solid phase fermentation processes afforded far lower yields compared to the flask experiments.

During last two decades human interest in the greenhouse effect caused by CO2 emissions has increased. At global scale, the Kyoto Protocol is an Agreement signed by almost all countries, as the main mechanism to diminish CO2 emissions. It is well known that agroforestry systems can contribute  to CO 2   capture at a level similar to that of many managed forests. Shaded coffee plantations are agroforestry systems likely to be included 3 as  CO 2 capture and storage mechanisms. We explain in this essay, the potential of coffee agroecosystems from central Veracruz State, to  capture and store CO2.

In this research, we present predictions of carbon sequestration by pines growing in reforested sites of Durango, Mexico. Four methodologies to predict carbon stocks in standing aboveground biomass were tested. Two models at the whole stand scale and two hybrid models between whole stand, stand class, and individual trees were fitted. A chronosequence of 23 small-scale reforested sites and stem analysis conducted on 60 trees were used to fit model parameters and estimate goodness of fit statistics. A stand class model produced a better fit to measure carbon stocks in aboveground standing biomass. 3 Reforested sites with native pine species are sequestering carbon at differential rates partially explained by density, species, micro site, climate and age of pines. Society is benefiting from the environmental services provided by carbon sequestration and conservation of native coniferous forests.