| dc.description.abstract | This chapter shows the influence and potential impacts of decadal climate
variability on Mexico’s coastal biodiversity, fishery, and agricultural production,
using the temporal structure of several modes of climate variability relevant for the
northern hemisphere, the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO), the Pacific
Decadal Oscillation (PDO), and the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), as well as
climatic variables time series (precipitation, maximum, and minimum temperature).
An evaluation of the historical and potential effects of this natural climate variability is presented for the 17 Mexican coastal states. The results show a clear influence
of the climatic variables and the different modes of climatic variability on the agricultural production in all coastal states, with the highest positive correlation between
AMO and lemon production in Colima state (r = 0.87) and maximum negative
between NAO and sorghum production in Tamaulipas state (r = −076); an influence
on forestry production for some coastal regions – like Oaxaca state; as well as its
impact on the natural vegetation cover changes and consequently on biodiversity.
The need for systematic, regular, and long-term monitoring processes of climatic
variables, coastal resources of economic value, and biodiversity are key elements
for generating knowledge and establishing adaptation and mitigation measures for
climatic phenomena of the order of decades and larger time scales. | |
