TEMA’s biologists have carried out research that has allowed them to obtain valuable images of the fauna and its habitat.
TEMA Mexico’s biologists have prepared a study framed within the Environmental Baseline. In it they have investigated fauna, flora, water, air, soils, landscape, geomorphology and erosion with the objective of generating a broad knowledge that allows evaluating the impact of the projects and assessing their viability.
In this study, several fauna samplings have been carried out using different techniques depending on the species to be analyzed. For example, in the case of reptiles and amphibians, observations and sampling were carried out along a previously defined path that allowed a detailed review of the microhabitats, using capture methods that did not alter their activity. In the case of water bodies, the study was carried out using traditional fishing techniques and interviews with fishermen in the area. The avifauna, on the other hand, was studied using visual and auditory methods.
All sampling has been carried out with a broad knowledge of their habits and with the maxim of not altering them in any case, but respecting them as much as possible.
One of the techniques used has been photo-trapping, which consists of taking images by placing camera traps that are activated by movement. These devices have a capture range of 48º and are capable of detecting movement at a distance of 10 meters. In addition, they have sensors, so they are activated by movement, and infrared LEDs, allowing images to be taken at any time of the day.
The places where the images were captured were considered to be of interest for wildlife after the bibliographic review and were selected after a survey of the area in question. They were mainly natural passes, trails and water bodies.
The purpose of wildlife sampling is to generate knowledge that will help create a starting point to evaluate the viability of projects, affecting the quality or health of an ecosystem as little as possible. The process includes the identification of species with a risk category in NOM-059-SEMARNAT-2010, species important for the conservation or health of the ecosystem, species of economic or social value, and indicator species of impacts or alterations.
With the information collected, the Diversity Index is determined. This index is based on information theory and is probably the most widely used in community ecology. In an ecological context, as a diversity index, the Shannon-Wiener index (H’) measures the information content per individual in randomly collected samples from a ‘large’ community for which the total number of species is known.
Once the study is completed, the corresponding mitigation measures are proposed, which may include capture and relocation of species, habitat conservation, decontamination measures, restoration of corridors or polygonal areas with natural vegetation, control of harmful fauna, environmental education campaigns for residents, conservation of feeding areas, burrows or nesting or breeding areas, closures, etc.
TEMA carries out this type of environmental studies because of its commitment to achieve safe environments and processes that respect the planet. For this purpose, it has a highly qualified and experienced team.
