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The objective of the research is to investigate if certain demographics of students help explain four areas of potential improvements in predominantly short-term study abroad programs. These areas are motivation, experience enhancement, benefits from various learning activities, and students' concerns regarding their experience. Pre-trip and post-trip surveys were conducted using logistic regression model. Our results showed that participants of a longer-term program were more likely than those in the short-term program to be expanded in their cultural understanding and global outlook. In contrast to many studies, males were found to be more motivated than females by a desire to experience foreign culture. Students with a higher GPA were found to have a more enhanced academic experience than those with a lower GPA. Finally, participants from a monocultural background were found to have a more culturally enhanced experience than the multicultural ones. The results will help improve the quality of study abroad programs.

There is a call for today's teachers to be globally literate as their student populations become more diverse. Immersive experiences in other countries with international colleagues and students can support the development of global literacy and culturally responsive practice. Preservice special education teachers do not often have opportunities to gain these experiences. The authors use examples of existing international collaborations in special education to illustrate a variety of ways that preservice and in-service teachers can experience international collaboration.

This study utilized an online survey instrument to investigate the degree to which former student teachers abroad have transferred, adapted and integrated previous experiences gathered in their student teaching abroad (STA) experiences in semester-long international school, classroom, and cultural settings to (a) positively shape the current culturally responsive context of their U.S. classrooms and (b) enhance the instructional and curricular experiences of their increasingly diverse students. Participants were K-12 teachers who previously completed a semester-long international student teaching experience at a large public university in the Southeastern US from 2002 to 2014. Findings of the study demonstrate that benefits of international student teaching experiences transfer to current practicing teachers as they work with diverse learners in US classrooms. The findings contribute to the research literature regarding the relationship between student teaching abroad experiences and their transference, adaptation, and integration into the classroom practice of beginning teachers in U.S. schools--an area in which research remains sparse.

In our current period of escalating climate change, we urgently need to better understand the modern climate and climate drivers in understudied regions of the world. This article provides a succinct and current literature review of one such region: the Maya Lowlands. The region has a long history of study on human--climatic interaction but little regarding modern climate research. To spur the study and understanding of climate in this region, we present an applied exercise of climate drivers and data. First, the article will provide an update on the current knowledge of the modern climate drivers in the Maya Lowland regions. To provide breadth in the studies, we base our review on different climate time-scale variabilities. Second, we present results from a pilot exercise on applied climate trends exercised at an institute of higher education. Through practical problem-based learning, students investigate climate trends using climate data for the Maya Lowlands, and gain an insight into data management. The feedback gathered from the exercise helped formulate a revised edition to be used by instructors. Follow-up discussion questions and steps required to conduct the exercise are included. Through interdisciplinary techniques, the exercise aims for students to analyse critically the changing climate.

The general premise of the student teaching abroad experience being that it will provide future teachers with experiences that will enable them to interact effectively and productively with the increasingly diverse student population that comprises U.S. schools (Martines, 2005). It is understood that teacher preparation programs must provide effective platforms and settings for pre-service teachers to develop, express, and refine the knowledge, skills, and dispositions that will, collectively, establish their foundational competence as culturally responsive teachers. Toward this end, the student teaching abroad experience is projected to provide a substantive platform and setting for student teachers to engage in a multifaceted, culturally distinct experience outside the United States to develop, and even transform, their professional and personal perspectives, and related knowledge and skill bases. The authors have previously addressed the effects of student teaching abroad experiences. The purpose of the current stage of their ongoing research was to determine the influence of former student teachers' student teaching abroad experiences along three dimensions of their teaching practice within U.S. classroom settings: (a) instructional practice, (b) cultural responsiveness toward diverse student populations, and (c) curricular approach. The research was an extension of the researchers' three previous years of on-site and electronically-based investigations regarding the instructional, cultural, and professional development of student teachers in Belize, China, and Mexico (Jiang & DeVillar, 2011).

Early childhood education (ECE) provision is becoming a growing priority. During the past twenty years, Latin America has shown a growing recognition in the provision of educational programs for young children, birth to age eight, is essential. Urban and rural populations intimated in 2009, that many countries utilizing equitable access to quality early childhood programs is often seen by policy makers as a means of achieving economic and political goals (United Nations, 2012). Unfortunately, a pre-occupation with economic and political goals may conflict with the provision of quality programming for young children. In a number of Latin American countries provisions for educating young children exist as intent to provide quality services. The continuing challenge is to finance, organize and regulate those well-meaning intentions. The objective of this article is two-fold. First, to describe national policy efforts that regulate the education of young children consistently. And, second, to reflect the status of early childhood education programming; and to examine the possibilities for the improvement of the quality and accessibility of an education for all young children. Five Latin American nations have been chosen for examination, including: Belize, Brazil, El Salvador, Mexico, and Peru. (Contains 4 tables.)

This article outlines the development of a project-based capstone marketing course, specifically designed to provide marketing students with an international community service learning experience. It differs significantly from previous studies, which focus on integrating service learning into existing marketing courses and on helping local nonprofit organizations. The focus of the course outlined in this article is on strengthening marketing-related competencies acquired through earlier coursework; developing broader work-related competencies, such as cross-functional thinking, teamwork, communication, and cultural sensitivity; and operating a collegiate chapter of a nonprofit engaged in international community service. The course described is well aligned with other significant trends in undergraduate business education: it is multidisciplinary, it emphasizes collaborative learning, it is founded on carefully articulated learning outcomes, and learning success is assessed. It provides a transformational experience and prepares students for a global and diverse workplace. A framework for course design is presented, and a set of pedagogical materials is provided that other marketing educators can use to develop and launch a significant international, multidisciplinary community service learning course. (Contains 1 figure, 8 tables and 2 notes.)

The genus Trogolaphysa comprises 81 described species distributed across the Neotropical and Afrotropical regions. In the Americas, just over half of the species found in subterranean habitats have a reduced eye number (0–5 eyes). Subterranean species are of interest as models to study the evolution of morphological adaptations. Many subterranean species of Trogolaphysa were described before the introduction of chaetotaxy as a diagnostic tool and thus remain incompletely described and diagnosed. To identify gaps in descriptions and facilitate the identification of newly collected forms, we provide standardized summary descriptions, species diagnoses, diagnostic tables, and a dichotomous key to the 33 Neotropical species of Trogolaphysa with reduced eye number. As a result of this synthesis, we describe two new troglobiontic species, Trogolaphysa reneaui n. sp. and Trogolaphysa welchi n. sp. from Belizean caves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Mexicon is the property of Verlag Anton Saurwein and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The concept of eco-frontier examines the actions of ecological actors to analyze the ways in which these contribute to transform biodiversity-rich territories. Eco-frontiers are discursive and spatial appropriations that evolve in different historical stages. This article analyzes the case of the Maya Forest as an emerging eco-frontier since the 1970s. The Maya Forest is a concept constructed by ecological actors to conserve tropical rainforest that covers the border region between Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize. Based on analysis of various first-hand materials, the article shows how the construction of the Maya Forest-concept has transformed the borderland into a scenic eco-region subject to tropical conservation. Simultaneously, the appropriation of the Maya in its scientific and touristic dimension suggests the construction of international biocultural borderlands. However, the issue of indigenous rights, multicultural context and that of multispecies remain subject to debate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The text is a book review of "Pre-Mamom Pottery Variation and the Preclassic Origins of the Lowland Maya" edited by Debra S. Walker. The book explores the use of ceramics by ancestral peoples in the Maya lowlands and addresses questions about their origins and the regional variations in pottery production and decoration. The review highlights the contributions of leading archaeologists and ceramic analysts, but also notes the potential imbalance in knowledge production and the need to include local scholars and Indigenous perspectives. The book provides case studies and summaries of pre-Mamom materials from various sites, with a focus on Belize, Guatemala, and Mexico. It also discusses methodological recommendations and the importance of documenting trade wares. The review suggests that a full treatment of the aesthetics of pre-Mamom pottery would have enhanced the collection. Overall, the book is considered an important resource for specialists in Maya archaeology, but may have limited appeal to general readers due to its specialized nature and high price. [Extracted from the article]

The Mexican Caribbean and Belize are home to one of the largest populations of Caribbean manatees (Trichechus manatus manatus). However, the transboundary Hondo River estuary is less examined compared to the surrounding protected areas. This paper provides a quantitative description of the spatial and temporal variability in abiotic factors and manatee distribution throughout the Hondo River estuary, with monthly field measurements during 2018–2019. Simultaneously, visual observations and side‐scan sonar detection were implemented, with 84 manatee sightings reported (calves 11.9%, noncalves 88.1%). Heatmap and frequency analyses showed that most manatee sightings occurred at the riverine estuary limit, the confluences between the river and the bay into which it flows. The surface water temperature and salinity ranged 28°C ≤ T ≤ 32°C and 0.5 PSU ≤ S ≤ 4.5 PSU for ~72% of the manatees identified, potentially describing locally preferred conditions for manatees. During the regional mid‐summer drought, higher temperature (31.5°C), salinity (18 PSU), and estuary extent (17.6 km) were recorded, including the maximum peak of manatee sightings (~31%). The roles of these abiotic factors are discussed as tentative environmental comfort conditions for manatees that could reduce their energy and maintenance costs. The identification of preferred conditions could broaden perspectives on how manatees interact with their habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The border society of Chetumal is studied in order to know how the speakers of this linguistic community conceive their ways of speaking Spanish in different situational contexts (home or work), before different people (employers, friends or subordinates) and with it get to check the degree of linguistic awareness they possess; that is, if the social boundaries present in their speech exist and are recognized as such by all speakers. This study is based on just over 100 questionnaires applied to the same number of Spanish-speakers born in Chetumal in 2019, who were registered according to the traditional sociolinguistic factors of age, sex, and socio-cultural level, the latter calculated basically on the individual's education index. The conclusions reflect the linguistic reality of Spanish speakers on the southern border of Mexico in which Caribbean and English elements are palpable in the lexical sector of the language. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a review of the earliest known skeletal remains in the Maya area, which are found in submerged caves in Mexico and rock shelters in Belize and date to the Paleoindian and Archaic periods. While few in number, several of these individuals have been the focus of intensive analyses, providing an emerging picture of life in the region before the transition to agriculture and settled village communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conservation planning requires information at adequate scales for decision-making and priority definition. Considering the importance of the Usumacinta river basin, we assessed the distribution of vertebrate richness (amphibians, birds and mammals), threatened species, and their representativeness in protected areas (PAs). We overlapped distribution polygons derived from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species over a 72 km2 grid of the watershed and overlapped the PAs. For the three groups we defined areas of high species richness and threatened species (hotspots), and defined three conservation targets (25, 50 and 75% of species richness of each group) and their representativeness in PAs. We found hotspots for birds and mammals, and high heterogeneity within the three groups. In total 81, 98 and 94% of amphibians, birds and mammals are present in at least in one PA, as well as 69, 78 and 53% of threatened amphibians, mammals and birds, respectively. Most of the high richness cells are not protected—only 26% of the 50% species richness cells and 10% of the 75% target cells. We highlight the need for complementing the PA system in the three countries comprising the study area (Mexico, Belize and Guatemala) in order to protect vertebrate diversity and reduce the growing threats to the basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genomic sequences of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) worldwide are publicly available and are derived from studies due to the increase in the number of cases. The importance of study of mutations is related to the possible virulence and diagnosis of SARS‐CoV‐2. To identify circulating mutations present in SARS‐CoV‐2 genomic sequences in Mexico, Belize, and Guatemala to find out if the same strain spread to the south, and analyze the specificity of the primers used for diagnosis in these samples. Twenty three complete SARS‐CoV‐2 genomic sequences, available in the GISAID database from May 8 to September 11, 2020 were analyzed and aligned versus the genomic sequence reported in Wuhan, China (NC_045512.2), using Clustal Omega. Open reading frames were translated using the ExPASy Translate Tool and UCSF Chimera (v.1.12) for amino acid substitutions analysis. Finally, the sequences were aligned versus primers used in the diagnosis of COVID‐19. One hundred and eighty seven distinct variants were identified, of which 102 are missense, 66 synonymous and 19 noncoding. P4715L and P5828L substitutions in replicase polyprotein were found, as well as D614G in spike protein and L84S in ORF8 in Mexico, Belize, and Guatemala. The primers design by CDC of United States showed a positive E value. The genomic sequences of SARS‐CoV‐2 in Mexico, Belize, and Guatemala present similar mutations related to a virulent strain of greater infectivity, which could mean a greater capacity for inclusion in the host genome and be related to an increased spread of the virus in these countries, furthermore, its diagnosis would be affected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many tropical fisheries are data-poor and lack population demographic information needed for effective management and conservation. In this study we used mark-recapture of bonefish, Albula vulpes, an important species in catch-and-release recreational fisheries, to estimate capture probabilities. Moreover, for the first time we generated key demographic parameters including apparent survival, new entries and population size. We marked 9657 bonefish and recaptured 605 (6.3 % recapture rate) inside and outside protected areas in northern Belize and southern Mexico. We built 20 open population model types known as POPAN in program MARK. The model with a constant superpopulation and probability, and a time-dependent survival and capture probability was best supported by our data. A potentially stable superpopulation size of bonefish > 22 cm of approximately 197,350 individuals (SE = 16,010, lower bound = 168,382, upper bound = 231,302) inhabited a larger region beyond our sampled (40.8 km2 sample area). A combination of permanent and temporary immigration and emigration patterns resulted in seasonal variations in survival, capture probabilities, probability of entry of individuals and population size (or abundance). Approximately 188,000 adult bonefish migrate and congregate in near-shore pre-spawning aggregation sites of the Caribbean Sea near Belize and Mexico during the spawning season. Population stability is likely associated with bonefish protections enacted in 1977, protected areas, and conservation practices by fishing communities of Belize and Mexico. This highlights the importance of protected areas and interjurisdictional fisheries management and suggests the need for a paradigm shift in the Caribbean to include connectivity of habitats essential to all life stages for important fish species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus vector dengue, chikungunya and Zika viruses. With both species expanding their global distributions at alarming rates, developing effective surveillance equipment is a continuing priority for public health researchers. Sound traps have been shown, in limited testing, to be highly species-specific when emitting a frequency corresponding to a female mosquito wingbeat. Determining male mosquito capture rates in sound traps based on lure frequencies in endemic settings is the next step for informed deployment of these surveillance tools. We field-evaluated Male Aedes Sound Traps (MASTs) set to either 450 Hz, 500 Hz, 550 Hz or 600 Hz for sampling Aedes aegypti and/or Aedes albopictus and compared catch rates to BG-Sentinel traps within Pacific (Madang, Papua New Guinea) and Latin American (Molas, Mexico and Orange Walk Town, Belize) locations. MASTs set to 450–550 Hz consistently caught male Ae. aegypti at rates comparable to BG-Sentinel traps in all locations. A peak in male Ae. albopictus captures in MASTs set at 550 Hz was observed, with the lowest mean abundance recorded in MASTs set to 450 Hz. While significantly higher abundances of male Culex were sampled in MASTs emitting lower relative frequencies in Molas, overall male Culex were captured in significantly lower abundances in the MASTs, relative to BG-Sentinel traps within all locations. Finally, significant differences in rates at which male Aedes and Culex were positively detected in trap-types per weekly collections were broadly consistent with trends in abundance data per trap-type. MASTs at 550 Hz effectively captured both male Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus while greatly reducing bycatch, especially male Culex, in locations where dengue transmission has occurred. This high species-specificity of the MAST not only reduces staff-time required to sort samples, but can also be exploited to develop an accurate smart-trap system—both outcomes potentially reducing public health program expenses. Author summary: The continued global expansion of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus, which transmit viruses causing dengue and Zika, necessitates the further development of effective mosquito traps for monitoring and predicting transmission risk. Mosquito sound traps attract male mosquitoes by producing a frequency which mimics the wingbeat sound of female mosquitoes. As few insects will respond to such sounds, these traps can be highly species-specific, saving significant person-time to sort samples, potentially paving the way for more accurate smart-trap systems and reduced surveillance costs. To date, limited research has occurred within field-settings investigating the capture rates of male mosquitoes in sound traps set to different frequencies. To this point, we performed trials in dengue endemic environments to quantify capture rates of mosquitoes in Male Aedes Sound Traps set to different frequencies in Papua New Guinea, Mexico and Belize. We found that both male Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus responded positively to frequencies between 450 and 600 Hz. Additionally, male Culex mosquitoes were also caught, but at lower abundances in traps set to higher sound frequencies. These traps, when set to 550 Hz, effectively capture male Ae. aegypti or Ae. albopictus with limited bycatch. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quantifying hair cortisol has become popular in wildlife ecology for its practical advantages for evaluating stress. Before hair cortisol levels can be reliably interpreted, however, it is key to first understand the intrinsic factors explaining intra- and inter-specific variation. Bats are an ecologically diverse group of mammals that allow studying such variation. Given that many bat species are threatened or have declining populations in parts of their range, minimally invasive tools for monitoring colony health and identifying cryptic stressors are needed to efficiently direct conservation efforts. Here we describe intra- and inter-specific sources of variation in hair cortisol levels in 18 Neotropical bat species from Belize and Mexico. We found that fecundity is an important ecological trait explaining inter-specific variation in bat hair cortisol. Other ecological variables such as colony size, roost durability and basal metabolic rate did not explain hair cortisol variation among species. At the individual level, females exhibited higher hair cortisol levels than males and the effect of body mass varied among species. Overall, our findings help validate and accurately apply hair cortisol as a monitoring tool in free-ranging bats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Ciencia Jurídica is the property of Universidad de Guanajuato and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Tecnología y Ciencias del Agua is the property of Instituto Mexicano de Tecnologia del Agua (IMTA) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Although bonefish, Albula vulpes, supports a culturally and socio-economically important recreational fishery in the Caribbean Sea, little is known about their population characteristics. Understanding their population parameters are important for the creation of a sustainable fishery strategy in the Caribbean region. We used multistate modeling to estimate apparent survival, recapture probability, and movement of bonefish in the regions of Corozal-Chetumal Bay (CB) and the adjacent Caribbean coast (CC) of Belize and Mexico. We marked 9657 bonefish and recaptured 613 (6.5% recapture rate). A total of 64 multistate models were run in program MARK. The model with the lowest Akaike Information Criterion was the most parsimonious model that supported our data: constant apparent survival in CC but variable in CB; time-dependent recapture probability in CC and CB; and time-dependent movement between regions. The latter reflects a seasonal migration from the bay to spawn in the Caribbean during the north-winds season. The seasonal differences in apparent survival (CC = 63.6% and CB = 80.6%) and recapture probability (CC = 1.3% and CB =11.1%) are associated to spawning mortality, a post-spawning relocation, ontogenetic shift, predation, angling activities, site fidelity or a combination of these. These findings reinforces the association of environmental variables influenced by weather patterns with movement patterns, the entire region to be considered a single geographic catchment area necessary to sustain a local bonefish population and the need for a paradigm shift from a traditional to a new system of fisheries conservation and management using bonefish as an umbrella species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neoblechnum brasiliense (Blechnaceae) is common and widespread in South America but has been known from Mesoamerica by only one collection from Guatemala by Julian Steyermark in 1939. We discovered two new occurrences of the species, in Belize and Mexico, extending the range of the species over 1000 km north and west into northern Mesoamerica. We discuss possible explanations for the rarity of the species in Mesoamerica and its disjunction from South America. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bonefish (Albula vulpes) is a socioeconomically important species that supports a data-poor recreational fishery in developing countries. Understanding how environmental variables influence its abundance and movement is important for better decision-making. This study used mark-recapture to examine the association between abiotic (temperature, salinity, wind speed, tides moon phase, and sediment coarseness) and biotic (presence of predators and bottom vegetation) variables with bonefish movement and abundance in Corozal-Chetumal bay and the adjacent Caribbean coast of southern Mexico and northern Belize. We used seines to capture bonefish, marked 9657 using dart tags and recaptured 595 fish (6.2% recapture rate) during 16 sample periods between January 2016 and February 2018. Marked bonefish size ranged 19.5–56.4 cm and recaptured 23.9–49.4 cm. Total abundance for each seine sample and distance between mark and recapture locations were used in two separate multiple stepwise regression analyses. Movement was negatively associated with temperature and predator presence, while sediment coarseness and moon phase were positively associated. Temperature increases were associated with short-distance movements. Temperature decreases and high-illumination lunar phases were associated with longer-distance movement and likely related to spawning migrations. Presence of predators, like barracuda, was associated with low bonefish abundances and was likely an adaptive response to form multiple schools of low density by bonefish to avoid predation. These spatiotemporal movement and abundance patterns are recommended to be taken into account in fisheries and protected areas management and to inform the decision-making process in urban and tourism development in coastal habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Therya is the property of Asociacion Mexicana de Mastozoologia, A. C. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Culicidae mosquitoes are potential vectors of pathogens that affect human health. The correct species identification, as well as the discovery and description of cryptic species, is important in public health for the control and management of specific vectors. In the present study, the diversity of anthropophagous mosquitoes in Quintana Roo, at the border between Mexico and Belize, was evaluated using morphological and molecular data (COI‐DNA Barcoding). A total of 1,413 adult female specimens were collected, belonging to eight genera and 31 morphospecies. Most species formed well‐supported clades. Intraspecific Kimura 2 parameters (K2P) distance average was 0.75%, and a maximum distance of 4.40% was observed for Anopheles crucianss.l. ABGD method identified 28 entities, while 32 entities were identified with the BIN system. In Culex interrogator and Culex nigripalpus a low interspecific genetic distance of 0.1% was observed. One undescribed species belonging to the genus Aedes (Aedesn. sp.) was discovered, but no clear genetic divergence was found between this species and the closely related species Aedes angustivittatus. An intraspecific K2P distance greater than 2.7% was observed in Aedes serratus(3.9%), Anopheles crucianss.l. (4.4%), Culex taeniopus (3.7%), Haemagogus equinus (3.9%), Culex erraticus (5.0%), Psorophora ferox (4.5%), and in Anopheles apicimacula(8.10%); therefore, evidences of cryptic diversity are shown in these species. This study showed that DNA barcodes offer a reliable framework for mosquito species identification in Quintana Roo, except for some closely related species for which it is recommended to use additional nuclear genetic markers such as ITS2, in order to resolve these small discrepancies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract We compare the geomorphology and soil of two ancient Maya wetland agricultural complexes in modern day Belize. This paper focuses on 3000 years of soil geomorphology and paleoecological change to determine the chronology of wetland formation and human use in this region. We also characterize Maya manipulation of the environment over time, especially considering times of ecological or climactic change in the late Holocene. This paper adds to our ongoing research in northwestern Belize, specifically within two recently explored wetland agricultural systems, Neuendorf and Sierra de Agua. Although they are 40 km from one another and in different watersheds, they have similar water chemistry and comparable soil, as well as comparable ancient Maya agricultural field and canal stratigraphy. The Neuendorf wetland fields and associated Maya house mounds and platforms are 1.5 km northeast of the well-studied Chan Cahal residential group/wetland agricultural fields. This ancient Maya settlement zone sits on a small limestone escarpment, about 7–24 m above sea level on the Belizean coastal plain. New trenches and vibracores from this wetland complex support our previous models of wetland formation and human use from the Late Preclassic to the end of the Classic. The Sierra de Agua wetland fields, 40 km to the southwest, are associated with a Maya urban center of the same name. This complex is part of the Irish Creek Wetlands within the New River watershed. In this system, the water table rose around 3000 years before present, which resulted in a different type of field building and agricultural modification, similar to the chinampas models of central Mexico. This new and ongoing research contributes new pollen records, soils and geoarchaeology to the growing regional picture of wetland use and change throughout Maya history. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental heterogeneity of Belize and southern Mexico savannahs as well as their geographical location suggest that these plant communities share floristic elements, making them conducive to a phytogeographical analysis. The aim of this study was to analyse the floristic affinities of nine savannahs of Belize and southern Mexico and to explain the similarities and differences amongst them. A binary data matrix containing 915 species was built based on the authors' own collections and on nine floristic lists already published. A second data matrix, consisting of 113 species representing trees, was also used since most literature on neotropical savannahs has focused on this life form. In addition, the ten most species-rich families as well as the characteristic species present in more than five savannahs were analysed. Floristic similarities were calculated using the Jaccard index. Dendrograms obtained in both types of analysis showed clusters with low similarity values, corresponding to geographic locations formed by the savannahs of Belize-Tabasco and the Yucatan Peninsula. The floristic affinities of the savannahs may be explained in terms of heterogeneity in climate and physiography. The Yucatan Peninsula and Belize-Tabasco groups have differences in climate type and the amount of rainfall. In addition, the Yucatan Peninsula savannahs are established at the bottom of karstic valleys, while the Belize and Tabasco savannahs develop on extensive flatlands. The savannahs of Oaxaca have the same climate type and amount of rainfall as those of the Yucatan Peninsula but they are distributed along peaks and the slopes of shale hills. Fabaceae and Poaceae mainly dominated the local floras with 121 and 116 species each; remarkably, Melastomataceae was absent in the Yucatan Peninsula and Oaxaca. Nine species occurred in five to seven savannahs, confirming that they are widespread in both Belize and southern Mexico, and the Neotropics. Geographic location and floristic affinities of the nine savannahs support, to some extent, three different biogeographic provinces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Through the analysis of archival material, mainly cartographic, this article explores the processes of territorial delimitation between the province of Yucatan and El Petén, as well as of the region then occupied by the British (present-day Belize). The elaboration of reports and maps for the establishment of limits and borders between provinces, and later between nation states, reflects the policies of those states regarding the establishment of their territories. In this context it studies the impact that the indigenous uprising known as the War of the Castes had on the process of establishing limits and borders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Botfly myiasis is an infestation of the skin or a body cavity by developing larvae of Dermatobia hominis, one of the most common flies that cause human infestation among the local population, in regions ranging from Mexico into South America and in travelers. The life cycle starts when a female fly glues the eggs to the vector, a blood-sucking arthropod, which carries the unhatched larvae to the susceptible host. A case of furuncular botfly myiasis in an 85 year-old female with recent travel to Belize is presented here to highlight the parasite life cycle and review the different treatment options. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] The Hondo River is the natural border between Mexico and Belize, and it is part of the distribution area of the Endangered Antillean manatee Trichechus manatus manatus. Currently, the Hondo River does not have any special protection. Employing qualitative research methods, we documented the social perception and local knowledge from riverside communities to assess conservation status and trends of manatees in the area. Fifty semi-structured interviews were carried out to river users in 16 Mexican communities, distributed in six segments along the riverbed. The claims of the inhabitants agree with boat-based surveys: most of the current and historical manatee sightings were reported in segments of the main watercourses, but also in small tributaries, which are usually shallow and rich in aquatic vegetation. Additionally, the local perception about manatee conservation status can be helpful to understand population trends and threats: 48 % of the interviewees claimed that nowadays the number of sighted manatees is less than that observed 10 years ago. The responders identified water pollution due to cane cultivation practices, motorized vessels traffic, and presence of fishing nets as potential threats to manatees. This study provides evidence of relevant local knowledge about the manatee ecology and its habitat, critical in the construction of binational conservation strategies for the species. Therefore, local resources users may play an increasingly significant role in manatee management and monitoring. Although manatees are poached for their meat in several areas of their distribution, the most common value attributed to manatees in Hondo River was non-use existence values. Local people recognize the challenges to observe this cryptic species in this river, but also identified manatees as potential flag species, suggesting that it may represent a valuable resource for ecotourism. We suggest that the non-extractive use of manatees has the potential for promoting species conservation and local economic growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three new genera of soft-bodied, oonopine goblin spiders are established. Two specific names ( Oonops tolucanus Gertsch and Davis, Oonops chickeringi Brignoli) are transferred to the new genus Toloonops, characterized by retaining a separate palpal bulb and cymbium, having the cymbial cone near the cymbial margin, and having posteriorly directed projections on the male endites that originate far from the anterior endite margins; five new species are described: T. chiapa, T. jacala, T. veracruz, T. belmo, and T. verapaz. Six similar new species, united by having a stepped male endite profile and a subapical sclerite on the anterior genitalic process of females, are assigned to the new genus Guatemoonops: G. purulha, G. rhino, G. jaba, G. chilasco, G. augustin, and G. zacapa. Oonops mckenziei Gertsch is transferred to the new genus Emboonops, characterized by having a fused palpal bulb and cymbium, a hypertrophied embolus, and often a V-shaped female anterior genitalic process; nine new species are described: E. tuxtlas, E. tamaz, E. catrin, E. nejapa, E. calco, E. palenque, E. bonampak, E. arriaga, and E. hermosa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the first Coccothrinax readii, a palm tree, recorded for Belize. It says that nine individuals of C. readii were located during a visit to the Shipstern Nature Reserve in the Corozal District on April 7 and 8, 2013. It mentions that Hermilio J. Quero described C. readii in 1980 following a study of palms of the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. It discusses the distribution of the genus.

This article seeks to find potential heritage tourism clusters in border areas. Literature about tourism destinations is essentially focused on administrative-bound areas, while little attention has been paid to functional regions. The research is based on a methodological exercise to contribute to this debate by analyzing the case of three border regions between Mexico, the USA, Guatemala and Belize, respectively. These borders have never been static but have changed throughout history, to the present day situation. It is argued that these changes have implications for the potential development of heritage tourism. The results identify a number of cross-border clusters and corridors in these areas with different levels of tourism underdevelopment, mainly because of political or legal restrictions. The results of this study contribute to an improved understanding of borderland heritages and cross-border regional clusters in the context of tourism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The special characteristics of river borders between Mexico and its southern neighbours, Guatemala and Belize and the incomplete land borders' demarcation that were established by boundary treaties at the end of XIX century hardly allow to achieve the traditional border function as a limit of state sovereignty through separation and physical marks. This situation questions the limits and constrains by reconsidering the concepts to analyse this paradox about these borders. Based on recent fieldwork, he paper also tries to propose some suggestions for further studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information from 15 satellite-tracked Antillean manatees ( Trichechus manatus manatus) was analyzed in order to assess individual movements, home ranges, and high-use areas for conservation decisions. Manatees were captured in Chetumal Bay, Mexico, and tagged with Argos-monitored satellite transmitters. Location of the manatees and physical characteristics were assessed to describe habitat properties. Most manatees traveled to freshwater sources. The Maximum Area Size ( MAS) for each manatee was determined using the observation-area method. Additional kernel densities of 95% home range and 50% Center of Activity ( COA) were also calculated, with manatees having 1-3 COAs. Manatees exhibited two different movement patterns: remaining in Chetumal Bay, and long-distance (up to 240 km in 89 d). The residence time in Chetumal Bay was higher for females (89.6% of time) than for males (72.0%), but the daily travel rate (0.4-0.5 km/d) was similar for both sexes. Most of the COAs fell within Natural Protected Areas ( NPA). However, manatees also travel for long distances into unprotected areas, where they face uncontrolled boat traffic, fishing activities, and habitat loss. Conservation of movement corridors may promote long-distance movements and facilitate genetic exchange. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Construction histories of ancient Maya monumental centers have long been used to interpret the growth and decline of Lowland Maya polities. Changes in the built environment at monumental centers reflect labor appropriation by ruling elites and may indirectly serve to gauge changes in political clout over time. Consequently, the precision and accuracy with which archaeologists measure these changes take on increased importance when assessing the ancient Maya political landscape. Recent excavations in the monumental core of La Milpa, Belize, have generated new data that call for a re-assessment of the center's historical trajectory. Our data indicate that La Milpa had a larger Late Preclassic foundation, likely grew much more incrementally through the Classic period, and persisted centuries longer than previously understood. The apparent persistence of occupation into the tenth century a.d. challenges the traditionally accepted dates for La Milpa's abandonment, and, the ceramic sequence upon which it is often based. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Hondo transboundary river basin is a territory shared by Mexico, Guatemala and Belize. There is not enough information about mechanisms of cooperation in water issues in the river basil and the reasons that prevent this process. Nevertheless, we know about the existence of factors of conflicts that limit the cooperation. This article describes the factor of conflicts and their bonds with the cooperation around die water. The construction of the analysis was based in the grounded theory, with the use of the semi-structured interviews and the participant observation as tools of data collection. The data obtained was analyzed by a codification of information based on: the anthropic conflicts, their relation with the cooperation and the institutional paper as part of die factors of conflict. For the location of key stakeholders and the elaboration of interviews, it was necessary to take advantage of a hemerographic analysis and the existing relations as a result of a previous work in 2003, besides applying the technique of "snow ball" to identify new key stakeholders. The paper tries to highlight how existing potential anthropic conflicts in the river basin may affect processes and attempts for cooperation in water issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Cuadernos de Vivienda y Urbanismo is the property of Pontificia Universidad Javeriana and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista Mexicana de Biodiversidad is the property of Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Instituto de Biologia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Abstract: Numerous communities associated with at least five distinct ethnic Mayan groups in southern Mexico and Central America continue to rely upon forested areas as integral components of their agricultural systems. They carefully manage these areas so that forests provide food, raw materials, and animals. Management practices include removing and planting of woody and herbaceous species, apiculture, and seed harvest. Mayan agroforestry systems in geographically and ecologically distinct areas of Mesoamerica were evaluated to better understand traditional agroforestry system components and how indigenous Mayan agroforestry could be a part of regional forest conservation and restoration. Systems were within Mexican land grant areas (ejidos) or on contested land. Although these systems rely upon different woody species and management techniques, common among them are: (1) the use of multi-stage and successional pathways with forest as a part of the larger system, (2) species that are believed by traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) to accelerate forest regeneration – more than 30 tree species are recognized and managed as potential facilitators of forest regeneration and (3) direct human consumption of forest products at all stages of regeneration. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

As student diversity becomes the norm in U.S. schools, future teachers must be comprehensively prepared to work with the increasingly diverse student population through application of informed instruction that enhances general and individual student learning and outcomes. Teacher-education programs increasingly promote student teaching in international settings as a substantive step in serving to develop teachers who embody these new competencies and instructional practices. This study offers a framework and analysis highlighting similarities and differences among three student-teaching abroad settings--Belize, Mexico and China--associated with a state university in the southeastern United States. The study's research findings support the general research literature in international student teaching and introduce new, pattern-based, evidence that relates the comparative impact of country and school-site contexts on specific cultural, professional, and character development influences on student teachers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]