The natural regions of Mexico there are a total of six: the desert, the grasslands and bushes, the forests, the dry forest, the humid forest and the marine region. These areas are distributed forming a mosaic that houses a great biological diversity and a variety of ecosystems..
This is one of the reasons why Mexico ranks among the 17 megadiverse countries in the world. The region that occupies the largest extension of the Mexican territory is the desert, with two large formations that are the Chihuahuan desert and the Sonoran desert..
It is followed in extension by the forest region, located mainly in the elevations of the mountains that cross the country. While to the south are the humid forests, highlighting the Lacandona jungle.
On the other hand, the dry forests develop mainly towards the areas near the coasts, both of the Pacific and the Atlantic. Likewise, there are grasslands and scrublands, which cover large areas of the territory..
Finally, Mexico has large marine areas both in the Pacific Ocean, where the Gulf of California stands out, and in the Atlantic. In the latter is the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea.
The desert region is characterized by low rainfall not exceeding 700 mm on average per year. With high temperatures during the day and low temperatures at night, as well as very hot summers and very cold winters..
Regarding the relief, in Mexico there are deserts on flat lands such as Chihuahua, which is covered with grasses. There are also sand dunes, such as the Altar Desert in Sonora and the Cuatrociénagas Desert in Coahuila..
This is the region that covers the largest proportion of the Mexican territory, especially in its northern half. In Mexico there are two large desert regions, the Chihuahuan desert and the Sonoran desert.
The Sonoran desert occupies almost the entire California Peninsula, northwestern and central Sonora, and northern Sinaloa. While the Chihuahuan desert includes eastern Chihuahua, much of Coahuila de Zaragoza, Nueva León, and Tamaulipas.
Similarly, part of eastern Durango, north and northeast of Zacatecas, center and north of San Luis de Potosí. Extending then through a narrow corridor through parts of Querétaro, Hidalgo, Tlaxcala, Puebla and Oaxaca.
Cacti are characteristic of this region, such as the giant saguaros (Carnegiea gigantea). In addition to other species such as the lechuguilla (Lechuguilla agave) and yucca or palm (Yucca elata).
While among the animals are the coyote (Canis latrans), the Mexican prairie dog (Cynomys mexicanus). There is also the black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) and the desert rabbit (Sylvilagus audubonii)
This natural region encompasses different ecosystems where trees are scarce. In the grasslands, species of the grass family dominate, while in the bushes, various species of shrubs do not exceed 4 meters in height..
They include high and low grasslands of temperate prairies, grasslands on soils rich in gypsum or on saline soils and alpine grasslands. The latter occur in the high mountains above the line where trees grow.
While among the bushes, there is a great variety such as dry or xerophilous scrub, thorny scrub and defenseless (without thorns). Like the cardonales, tetecheras, izotales, nopaleras and the shrub with small leaves. In addition to the magueyales, lechuguillales, guapillales and chaparrales.
In most cases, Mexican grasslands occur in temperate climate zones at altitudes between 1,100 and 2,500 meters above sea level. They are semi-arid territories with a cool climate, with average temperatures between 12 and 20 ° C and annual rainfall between 300 and 600 mm..
For its part, the bushes also develop in dry climates, but with less rainfall, between 300 and 700 mm. While temperatures can be warm or cool.
Grasslands occupy areas of the north of the country in states such as Chihuahua, Coahuila, Sonora, Durango, Zacatecas, San Luis Potosí and Jalisco.
While the bushes are widely distributed especially in the north of the country, from sea level to 3,000 meters above sea level..
Grass species, such as navajita grass (Bouteloua spp.), buffalo grass (Buchloe dactyloides) and plains grass (Eragrostis intermedia). Among the few trees are the mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa) and the ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens).
While in the bushes, the variety of species is greater and typical of each type. For example, in the cardonales the cacti dominate, while in the mezquital it is mesquite (Prosopis spp.).
The izotales are dominated by the izotes (Yucca spp.) and in the roofs, the roofs (Neobuxbaumia tetetzo). Likewise, various species of agavaceae or magueys are present in the magueyales..
For its part, the fauna of the grassland includes species such as the Mexican plains dog (Cynomys mexicanus) and the black-tailed plains dog (Cynomys ludovicianus). As well as the pronghorn (American antilocapra), the bison (Bison bison) and the northern fox (Vulpes macrotis).
In the case of bushes, the fauna varies according to its type, sharing many species with the grassland. In addition to other species such as the collared peccary (Peccary tajacu), the Puma (Puma concolor), mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) and badger (Taxidea taxus).
This region includes all ecosystems where trees predominate in a temperate or subtropical climate and is the second largest natural region. There is a great diversity of forests, from coniferous forests to oak and mixed forests.
The predominant climate is temperate subhumid to humid, influenced by latitude and relief, since these forests are established in mountain ranges and plateaus. Average temperatures range from 12 to 23 ° C, while rainfall is between 600 and 1,000 mm.
This region extends through the mountains in the altitude range between 1,200 and 3,000 meters above sea level. It encompasses the Sierra Madre Occidental, the Sierra Madre Oriental, the Neovolcanic Axis and the southern mountains in Oaxaca and Chiapas.
The forests of Mexico are the richest in the world in pine species (Pinus spp.), with about 50 species. Like oaksQuercus spp.) with about 150 species. There are also other species of conifers such as the ayarín (Pseudotsuga menziesii) and oyamel (Religious abies).
Among the fauna, the monarch butterfly stands out, whose preferred plant species in its migration is the oyamel. Temperate forests are the habitat of the Mexican wolf (Canis lupus baileyi), black bear (Ursus americanus), the northern coati (Nasua narica) and the puma (Puma concolor).
This includes the areas of Mexico where deciduous forests grow, in which most species lose their foliage in the dry season. In Mexico these jungles are also called low jungles, because the average height of the trees is 8 to 15 m.
These jungles occur in tropical and subtropical climates, with little rainfall and relatively high temperatures in summer. Temperatures normally reach 29 ° C in summer and rainfall ranges from 300 to 1,200 mm per year.
They occur in flat coastal reliefs to low mountainous areas, ranging from 0 to 1,900 meters above sea level..
It is located on the Pacific slope in the lower parts of the Sierra Madre Occidental from Sonora to Chiapas. In the latter state they can even reach the seashore.
They also extend in the Balsas river basin to Morelos in the Huahutla mountain range. As well as from the Isthmus of Tehuantepec to the central depression of Chiapas. While on the Atlantic slope it is distributed in patches from Tamaulipas to Veracruz and in the Yucatán peninsula, in the states of Campeche and Yucatán.
Common trees in this region include the Chinese copal (Bursera bipinnata), the holy copal (Bursera copallifera) and the bunting (Erithryna spp). As well as palms like the coyul (Acrocomia aculeata) and the guano palm (Sabal japa).
While among the fauna are the anteater or strong arm (Mexican tamandua), the Armadillo (Dasypus novemsinctus) and the raccoon (Procyon lotor). Like the white-tailed deerOdocoileus virginianus), and the collared peccary (Tayassu tajacu).
While of the felines are the jaguarundi (Herpailerus yagouaroundi), the ocelot (Leopardus pardalis), the Puma (Puma concolor) and the jaguar (Panthera onca).
Dense evergreen forests develop in this region, with trees of different heights and a large number of plants that climb and live on the trees. Distinguishing in Mexico two basic types of humid forest, the high evergreen forest and the medium forest.
There is a warm tropical climate, with high rainfall and high temperatures in summer. They are areas where the rain is continuous, at least 9 months a year in the high jungles and 7 months in the middle jungles..
The average annual temperature in these jungles is around 22 ° C and rainfall exceeds 3,000 mm per year. The relief ranges from flat plateau areas, undulating plains to mountainous areas.
This region originally extended from San Luis de Potosí, Veracruz, Tabasco, areas of Puebla, much of Oaxaca and Chiapas, to the border with Guatemala. Today only 10% of the original area of humid forests in Mexico remains. One of the most conserved jungle areas is the Lacandona jungle in Chiapas.
This region has a high diversity of both plants and animals, being the habitat of emblematic species such as the jaguar (Panthera onca). These jungles also inhabit primates such as the spider monkey (Ateles geoffroyi) and the mantled howler monkey (Alouatta palliata).
Similarly, various birds, such as the harpy eagle (Harpia harpyja), The toucan (Ramphastos spp.) and the macaw macaw (Ara macao). In the flora, trees such as matapalos abound (Ficus spp.), the raft (Ochroma pyramidale), the jobo (Spondias mombin), the cuajilote (Parmentiera aculeata) and the ceiba (Ceiba pentandra), a tree considered sacred by the indigenous.
This region includes all the marine areas of Mexico, divided into two large areas, the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific. The predominant climate ranges from temperate in the north to tropical in the south.
On the Atlantic side you can see the Gulf of Mexico and on the southern coast of Yucatan the Mexican Caribbean. While in the Pacific the Sea of Cortez or Gulf of California stands out.
The characteristic flora is marine with a predominance of algae and aquatic angiosperm plants. While the fauna includes a large number of species of fish, crustaceans, marine mammals and other groups typical of these environments.
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