F o c u s on F i e l d Stat i o n s

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1 F o c u s on F i e l d Stat i o n s The Intercultural Center for the Study of Deserts and Oceans (CEDO) Raphael Sagarin, Associate Research Scientist, Institute of the Environment, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona Peggy Turk Boyer, Executive Director, CEDO Intercultural, P.O. Box 44208, Tucson, Arizona The Intercultural Center for the Study of Deserts and Oceans, known by its Spanish acronym, CEDO (for El Centro de Estudios de Desiertos y Océanos), is a combination field station, nonprofit conservation organization, cultural center, and educational hub in Puerto Peñasco on the shore of the northern Gulf of California (NGC) in Sonora, Mexico (31.29 N, W). CEDO was developed in 1980 as an offshoot of a now defunct University of Arizona aquaculture project. The scope of activities within CEDO s mission have grown from a primary focus on advancing and sharing knowledge about the NGC and surrounding Sonoran Desert ecosystem and promoting conservation, to a more active role in creating solutions and empowering coastal communities with the knowledge and tools to create sustainable livelihoods that exist in concert with the surrounding bicultural and natural environments. In addition to ecological and fisheries research, CEDO develops and delivers educational programs and environmental awareness contests for local schools, eco-tourism, and outreach to understand the needs and concerns of fishing communities throughout the NGC and to support them in applying the latest sound management practices and other sustainable solutions. Puerto Peñasco, located only an hour south of the U.S. Mexico border, is a tourist destination for Americans from Arizona and throughout the Southwest, with an economy that relies largely on fisheries and tourism. A major real estate boom in the first decade of the 21st century brought abundant, but short-lived, economic opportunities. Currently, the area is suffering a sharp economic downturn driven by a general collapse of real estate markets, and a precipitous decline in tourism due to fears of narco-trafficking violence in northern Mexico. On top of this, over-exploitation of NGC fisheries and ecosystem changes due to climate effects could potentially cause additional economic hardship for NGC communities. 394 Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America

2 Ecologically, Puerto Peñasco is an ideal hub for studies of deserts and oceans as it lies on the interface of one of the world s richest marine environments the northern Gulf of California and richest desert environments the Sonoran desert. The biological importance of both land and sea in this area is reflected in the designation of several nearby internationally recognized biosphere reserves. The Upper Gulf of California/ Colorado River Delta Biosphere Reserve is home to endemic and endangered species such as the vaquita porpoise and totoaba croaker. It is a highly productive fishing ground for Mexico s commercial fisheries, and harbors resting and feeding habitats for migratory bird populations traveling along the Pacific flyway. The Pinacate/Gran Desierto de Altar Biosphere Reserve protects the unique volcanic ecotype within the Sonoran desert biome with important populations of Sonoran pronghorn antelope, desert bighorn sheep, and many reptile species, while offshore San Jorge Island is part of the World Heritage designation encompassing the many islands of the Gulf of California, rivaling the Galapagos in their isolation, biodiversity, productivity, and endemism. The Gulf of California is one of the most biodiverse and productive oceanic basins in the world. Since its formation beginning in the Miocene (12 mya) until the Pliocene (5 mya), the Gulf has been geographically isolated, thus driving the in situ evolution of many endemic species: of the 5969 recognized marine species, 888 (14.8%) are endemic to the Gulf (Brusca et al. 2005). These are likely underestimates of the real biodiversity, since many groups have not been studied at all (bacteria, fungus, microcrustaceans, etc.). Driven by seasonal upwelling caused by winds and constant tidal mixing, the NGC is a highly productive ecosystem, supplying most of Mexico s fishery resources and recognized as a key marine conservation site (Carvajal et al. 2004, Moreno-Baez 2010). The NGC is used by at least 17 fishing communities and numerous temporary Photo 1. CEDO students learn about oyster mariculture. Photo 2. Gate to the CEDO field station. Photo 3. Commercial divers speaks to a visiting class at the CEDO field station. Focus on Field Stations October

3 fishing camps (Moreno-Baez 2010). The conservation challenges facing the world s oceans are seen in microcosm in the Gulf (Sagarin et al. 2008). Increased coastal habitation by humans and industrial-scale tourism, emerging infectious diseases, over-exploitation of common property assets such as fish and intertidal invertebrates leading to population declines and loss of largesized individuals (Saenz-Arroyo et al. 2005, 2006), and climate-related changes to species distributions, including loss of key wetland nursery habitats (Aburto-Oropeza et al. 2008), all affect the ecological and economic viability of coastal fisheries in the Gulf. Moreover, the northern reaches of the Gulf are additionally impacted by a massive reduction of Colorado River flow, which has radically changed estuarine dynamics and increased exposure to concentrated naturally occurring toxins and agricultural runoff (Enriquez- Andrade et al. 2005, Lluch-Cota et al. 2007). Photo 4. CEDO field station from the tide pools. Photo 5. Fishermen and researchers discuss dive plan for monitoring marine reserves. Accordingly, major areas of study for CEDO and visiting researchers include: the social, ecological and economic aspects of small-scale nearshore fisheries; long-term population monitoring; genetic connectivity among populations of marine fish and invertebrates; studies of Sonoran desert flora and fauna; impacts of tourism on the local ecology; and the status and conservation of the critically endangered NGC-endemic porpoise, Phocoena sinus, known locally as the vaquita. While every field station is unique with regard to its local ecology and mission, two aspects of CEDO are particularly worthy of note in the context of current trends in ecological science. First, CEDO is not situated in a pristine wilderness or on land earmarked for the exclusive use of scientists and educators. While this limits the ability to conduct strictly controlled experiments where it is assumed that human impacts are minimal the type of studies that dominated late 20th century ecology it provides a setting that recognizes that no ecological 396 Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America

4 setting is truly free of human influence. This leads to the second distinctive feature of CEDO, its intensive focus on the human cultural aspects of coastal ecology. By the nature of its physical location within working coastal communities and intensive tourist economies, it is impossible for CEDO staff or visiting researchers to ignore the impact of human behavior on ecological systems. Accordingly, ethno-historical studies and studies on linked social ecological systems are highly valued aspects of CEDOs outreach and research efforts. The combined recognition that ecological systems are increasingly human influenced and need to be studied from a multidisciplinary approach is a hallmark of a general change in perspective occurring across ecological science (Sagarin and Pauchard 2012). A key component of this cultural focus is CEDO s binational identity, which stems from its proximity to the U.S. Mexico border, but is also deliberately built into all aspects of the organization s operation. Full-time staff and visiting researchers, as well as CEDO s Mexican and American boards of directors, include both Mexican and American citizens. Documents, from the web site to recently developed strategic and business plans, are bilingual (English and Spanish). The station offers opportunities for both Mexican and American schoolchildren through educational programs and summer camps, and ecotours are also available to the binational public. CEDO maintains dormitory, laboratory, education, and field support for visiting researchers, students, and classes from both countries and involves them in projects with CEDO s dedicated staff as they engage local stakeholders in long-term monitoring of resources, and in the design and implementation of management and conservation solutions. This commitment to broad community participation contributed to CEDO s selection for the Organization for Biological Field Station s 2010 Human Diversity award, given in recognition of member stations for unique activities, programs, or approaches (funded or unfunded) that increase the involvement, engagement and sustainability of underrepresented groups in field science. As much as the local environment is imperiled, and has the potential to be restored by altering human behaviors, so too is CEDO itself. One of CEDO s current challenges is the precipitous drop in visitation by both tourists and visiting researchers and students, following the double jeopardy of an economic downturn and narco-trafficking fears. Sales from a small gift shop and station fees, both important sources of income, were significantly decreased in the past two fiscal years, forcing CEDO to rely almost exclusively on private grant funded programs. Efforts are now underway to improve facilities, attract greater numbers, and improve consistency in visitation by Mexican and American researchers and their students. Regardless, Puerto Peñasco remains an attractive, tranquil, affordable, and logistically easy place to visit, and we are confident that CEDO is well positioned as a 21st century research facility that will offer innovative opportunities for the integration of social and ecological systems. Literature cited Aburto-Oropeza, O., E. Ezcurra, G. Danemann, V. Valdez, J. Murray, and E. Sala Mangroves in the Gulf of California increase fishery yields. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 105: Brusca, R. C., L. T. Findley, P. A. Hastings, M. E. Hendrickx, J. T. Cosio, and A. M. v. d. Heiden Macrofaunal diversity in the Gulf of California. Pages in J. L. Cartron, G. Ceballos, and R. Focus on Field Stations October

5 S. Felger, editors. Biodiversity, ecosystems and conservation in Northern Mexico. Oxford University Press, New York, New York, USA. Carvajal, M. A., E. Ezcurra, and A. Robles The Gulf of California: natural resource concerns and the pursuit of a vision. Pages in L. K. Glover and S. Earle, editors. Defying ocean s end. An agenda for action. Island Press, Washington, D.C., USA. Enriquez-Andrade, R., G. Anaya-Reyna, J. C. Barrera-Guevara, M. d. l. A. Carvajal-Moreno, M. E. Martinez-Delgado, J. Vaca-Rodriguez, and C. Valdes-Casillas An analysis of critical areas for biodiversity conservation in the Gulf of California region. Ocean and Coastal Management 48: Lluch-Cota, S. E., E. A. Aragon-Noriega, F. Arreguin-Sanchez, D. Aurioles-Gamboa, J. J. Bautista- Romero, R. C. Brusca, R. Cervantes-Duarte, R. Cortes-Altamirano, P. Del-Monte-Luna, A. Esquivel- Herrera, G. Fernandez, M. E. Hendrickx, S. Hernandez-Vazquez, H. Herrera-Cervantes, M. Kahru, M. Lavin, D. Lluch-Belda, D. B. Lluch-Cota, J. Lopez-Martinez, S. G. Marinone, M. O. Nevarez- Martinez, S. Ortega-Garcia, E. Palacios-Castro, A. Pares-Sierra, G. Ponce-Diaz, M. Ramirez- Rodriguez, C. A. Salinas-Zavala, R. A. Schwartzlose, and A. P. Sierra-Beltran The Gulf of California: review of ecosystem status and sustainability challenges. Progress in Oceanography 73:1 26. Moreno-Baez, M Mapping human dimensions of small-scale fisheries in the Northern Gulf of California, Mexico. Dissertation. University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA. Saenz-Arroyo, A., C. M. Roberts, J. Torre, M. Carino-Olvera, and R. R. Enriquez-Andrade Rapidly shifting environmental baselines among fishers of the Gulf of California. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 272: Saenz-Arroyo, A., C. M. Roberts, J. Torre, M. Carino-Olvera, and J. P. Hawkins The value of evidence about past abundance: marine fauna of the Gulf of California through the eyes of 16th to 19th century travellers. Fish and Fisheries 7: Sagarin, R., and A. Pauchard Observation and ecology: broadening the scope of science to understand a complex world. Island Press, Washington, D.C., USA. Sagarin, R. D., W. F. Gilly, C. H. Baxter, N. Burnett, and J. Christensen Remembering the Gulf: changes to the marine communities of the Sea of Cortez since the Steinbeck and Ricketts expedition of Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 6: Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America