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Conservation Of Desert Wetlands And Their Biotas/Conservacíon De Humedales Desérticos Y Su Biota, Mauricio De La Maza-Benignos, María De Lourdes Lozano-Vilano, Evan W. Carson

Faculty and Staff Publications

The biological diversity of arid and semi-arid ecosystems is threatened by exploitation of water resources for agricultural and economic development. As demand for the scarce water supplies of these regions has increased in recent decades in North America, efforts to moderate consumptive water use generally have been unsuccessful. This problem is highlighted in Mexico, where arid and semi-arid regions represent approximately 65% of the land area and are home to over 46% of the populace. The Chihuahuan Desert is the largest and most biodiverse desert in Mexico, and also is one of the more degraded by unsustainable use of water …