The general bacterial microbiota of the soft tick Ornithodoros turicata found on Bolson tortoises (Gopherus flavomarginatus) were analyzed using next generation sequencing. The main aims of the study were to establish the relative abundance of bacterial taxa in the tick, and to document the presence of potentially pathogenic species for this tortoise, other animals, and humans. The study was carried-out in the Mapimi Biosphere Reserve in the northern-arid part of Mexico. Bolson tortoises (n = 45) were inspected for the presence of soft ticks, from which 11 tortoises (24.4%) had ticks in low loads (1–3 ticks per individual). Tick pools (five adult ticks each) were analyzed through 16S rRNA V3–V4 region amplification in a MiSeq Illumina, using EzBioCloud as a taxonomical reference. The operational taxonomic units (OTUs) revealed 28 phyla, 84 classes, 165 orders, 342 families, 1013 genera, and 1326 species. The high number of taxa registered for O. turicata may be the result of the variety of hosts that this tick parasitizes as they live inside G. flavomarginatus burrows. While the most abundant phyla were Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Firmicutes, the most abundant species were two endosymbionts of ticks (Midichloria-like and Coxiella-like). Two bacteria documented as pathogenic to Gopherus spp. were registered (Mycoplasma spp. and Pasteurella testudinis). The bovine and ovine tick-borne pathogens A. marginale and A. ovis, respectively, were recorded, as well as the zoonotic bacteria A. phagocytophilum,Coxiella burnetii, and Neoehrlichia sp. Tortoises parasitized with O. turicata did not show evident signs of disease, which could indicate a possible ecological role as a reservoir that has yet to be demonstrated. In fact, the defense mechanisms of this tortoise against the microorganisms transmitted by ticks during their feeding process are still unknown. Future studies on soft ticks should expand our knowledge about what components of the microbiota are notable across multiple host–microbe dynamics. Likewise, studies are required to better understand the host competence of this tortoise, considered the largest terrestrial reptile in North America distributed throughout the Chihuahuan Desert since the late Pleistocene.

In recent years, the determination of the antioxidant and antibacterial activity of essential oils in wild plants, such as Mexican oregano (Lippia graveolens Kunth), has become increasingly important. The objective was to compare the antioxidant and antibacterial activity of Mexican oregano essential oil obtained from plants occurring naturally in semiarid areas (Wild1 and Wild2), and those cultivated in the field (CField) and greenhouse (CGreenhouse) in northern Mexico. The Mexican oregano essential oil extraction was performed using the hydrodistillation method, the antioxidant activity was determined using the ABTS method, and the antibacterial activity was assessed through bioassays under the microwell method at nine different concentrations. The aim was to determine the diameter of the inhibition zone and, consequently, understand the sensitivity level for four bacterial species. The results revealed an antioxidant activity ranging from 90% to 94% at the sampling sites, with Wild1 standing out for having the highest average antioxidant activity values. Likewise, six out of the nine concentrations analyzed showed some degree of sensitivity for all the sampling sites. In this regard, the 25 µL mL⁻¹ concentration showed the highest diameter of inhibition zone values, highlighting the Wild2 site, which showed an average diameter greater than 30 mm for the four bacteria tested. Only in the case of S. typhi did the CGreenhouse site surpass the Wild2, with an average diameter of the inhibition zone of 36.7 mm. These findings contribute to the search for new antioxidant and antibacterial options, addressing the challenges that humanity faces in the quest for opportunities to increase life expectancy.

Inequality, malnutrition, poverty, and environmental degradation are some of the global challenges facing humanity. These are aggravated in the context of climate change (CC), envisioning as a utopia to guarantee food security without risking sustainability. Considering the increase in scientific attention on dairy goat production (DGP), we aimed to carry out an exhaustive analysis regarding the evolution of DGP to determine both its socioeconomic and cultural importance during the period 1970–2022 and its possible scenarios for 2050. Over the last half century (1970–2022), dairy goats (DG; 214.01 million heads) have shown an inventory growth of 182%, and this is estimated to increase by 53.37% over the next 28 years (2023–2050). While DGP increased 196% during 1970–2022, it is projected to increase around 71.29% by 2050. Notably, however, the economic value of DGP almost quadrupled (+375%) during 1991–2022, and the same trend is estimated for 2023–2050. Historically, Asia has excelled in both goat inventory and goat milk production volume. This research highlights the crucial role of both goats and DG in the socioeconomic issues in various regions of the world, as they most often represent the only source of income for millions of smallholder families, particularly in developing countries. In the face of CC challenges, goats in general, and DG in particular, show an exceptional potential to be considered the “animal of the future” due to their refined and sophisticated ethological, adaptive, and physiological plasticity under generally clean, green, and ethical production schemes, mainly in marginal contexts in the arid and semi-arid zones of the world.

One of the conifers that survived after the last glaciation is the Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco. Due to the gradual increase in temperature, this species was forced to move from the south to the north and to higher elevation, causing a fragmented and intermittent distribution in Mexico. The main objective of this study was to model and identify suitable areas for the future conservation of the P. menziesii in Mexico. The specific objectives of this research were: (i) to model the habitat suitability of P. menziesii in Mexico, (ii) to identify the most relevant environmental variables based on its current and future habitat suitability (2030, 2050, 2070 and 2090) and (iii) to suggest areas for the conservation of the species in Mexico. Records were compiled from different national and international sources. Climate and topographic variables were used. With MaxEnt software version 3.4.3 (Phillips, New York, NY, USA) 100 distribution models were obtained, where the model showed an area under the curve of 0.905 for training and 0.906 for validation and partial ROC of 1.95 and Z reliable (p < 0.01), with TSS values > 0.80. The current area of the P. menziesii was 31,580.65 km². The most important variables in the current and future distribution were maximum temperature of the hottest month, precipitation of the coldest trimester and average temperature of the coldest trimester. The percentage of permanence (resilience) for the 2030, 2050, 2070 and 2090 climate horizons was 49.79%, 25.14%, 17.45% and 16.46%, respectively, for the SSP 245 scenario. On the other hand, for the SSP 585 scenario and the analyzed horizons, the percentage resilience in areas of suitable habitat zones was 41.45%, 27.42%, 9.82% and 2.89%.

Ticks are important vectors of pathogenic bacteria that cause diseases in both humans and animals. Analysis of tick microbiota via massive sequencing allows rapid and comprehensive identification of almost all bacteria inhabiting ticks. This has improved the detection of emerging pathogens and has helped define their relationship with public health. In Mexico, the brown dog tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato) is a public health problem, especially in northeast Durango. In the present study, the bacterial microbiota of this tick was determined using third-generation massive sequencing (PacBio, V1–V9 region of the 16S rRNA gene); bacteria with pathogenic potential that are transmitted by salivation and those that can be transmitted by accidental regurgitation of the parasite were also identified. In 2024, 60 dogs were searched for unfed ticks; then, 15 groups of female ticks and 15 groups of male ticks were formed, with each group consisting of 30 individuals. DNA was extracted from each tick pool, and the complete 16S rRNA gene was amplified (PacBio). Bioinformatics analysis was performed in QIIME2 (Quantitative Insights into Microbial Ecology) to obtain amplicon sequence variants (ASVs). Alpha and beta diversity metrics, as well as statistical analyses, were performed to test for differences between the microbiota of females and males. The bacterial taxa were classified into 21 phyla, 24 classes, 81 orders, 137 families, 339 genera, and 565 species. The male microbiota presented a significantly greater number of ASVs and a greater phylogenetic diversity index (FaithPD). Additionally, the unweighted UniFrac metric was significantly different between the sexes. The endosymbiont Coxiella mudrowiae was significantly more abundant in females, and Ehrlichia canis was more abundant in males. The pathogens E. canis and Anaplasma platys (transmitted by salivation) were detected, as well as 75 species of potential pathogens recorded in this tick that could enter the host in case of accidental regurgitation of the parasite (e.g., Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Acinetobacter, Corynebacterium, Proteus, Clostridum, Klebsiella, Bacillus, Escherichia, Fusobacterium, and Pasteurella). It is necessary to continue analyzing the microbiota of ticks through massive sequencing for the benefit of public health and to establish new alternatives for controlling these parasites.

The emerging field of study of blood microbiota reveals the presence of bacteria in the blood of healthy animals. In endangered species such as the American bison (Bison bison), the analysis of this microbiota is crucial for conservation, as changes in these communities or the development of pathogens may affect their health and compromise herd viability. Here, we analyzed and compared the bacterial blood microbiota of healthy adult and juvenile bison in Mexico (Janos, Chihuahua), identifying those bacterial taxa with potential pathogenicity for these individuals. Blood samples were collected from 12 juvenile and 12 adult bison. The V3–V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene was amplified, and next-generation sequencing was subsequently performed on the Illumina NovaSeq platform. The bacterial taxa observed in the blood of these individuals (Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Bacteroidota, Actinobacteria, Fusobacteriaceae, Lachnospiraceae, Oscillospiraceae, and Ruminococcaceae) have been previously reported to be abundant in the rumen and feces of bison. The most notable difference was observed for Mycoplasma wenyonii, which was significantly enriched in juveniles compared with adults. New sequencing technologies can be practically applied to improve the management and conservation of vulnerable species such as the American bison.