The aboveground contributions of mangroves to global carbon sequestration reinforce the need to estimate biomass in these systems. The objective was to determine the aboveground biomass storage and quantify the carbon and CO₂e content in Rhizophora mangle, Avicennia germinans, and Laguncularia racemosa present in southeastern Mexico. Based on the Forest Protocol for Mexico Version 2.0 methodology, published by Climate Action Reserve, 130 circular plots were randomly selected and established in an area of 930 ha of mangrove vegetation, and the aboveground biomass and stored carbon were determined. The mangrove had a density of 3515 ± 428.5 individuals per hectare. The aboveground biomass of the three species was 120.5 Mg ha⁻¹. The biomass of L. racemosa was 99.5 Mg ha⁻¹, which represents 82.6% of the total biomass. The biomass of R. mangle was 20.33 Mg ha⁻¹, and that of A. germinans was 0.32 Mg ha⁻¹. The total carbon retained in the trees was 60.25 Mg C ha⁻¹ and 221.1 Mg CO₂e ha⁻¹. Laguncularia racemosa generated the highest contributions of CO₂e. The area of mangroves accumulated 112,065 Mg of aboveground biomass. The carbon contained in this biomass corresponds to 205,623 Mg CO₂e. This mangrove contributes to mitigating the effects of climate change globally through the reduction in greenhouse gases.

Although renewable energy holds great promise in mitigating climate change, there are socioeconomic and ecological tradeoffs related to each form of renewable energy. Forest-related bioenergy is especially controversial, because tree plantations often replace land that could be used to grow food crops and can have negative impacts on biodiversity. In this study, we examined public perceptions and ecosystem service tradeoffs between the provisioning services associated with cover types associated with bioenergy crop (feedstock) production and forest habitat-related supporting services for birds, which themselves provide cultural and regulating services. We combined a social survey-based assessment of local values and perceptions with measures of bioenergy feedstock production impacts on bird habitat in four countries: Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, and the USA. Respondents in all countries rated birds as important or very important (83–99% of respondents) and showed lower enthusiasm for, but still supported, the expansion of bioenergy feedstocks (48–60% of respondents). Bioenergy feedstock cover types in Brazil and Argentina had the greatest negative impact on birds but had a positive impact on birds in the USA. In Brazil and Mexico, public perceptions aligned fairly well with the realities of the impacts of potential bioenergy feedstocks on bird communities. However, in Argentina and the USA, perceptions of bioenergy impacts on birds did not match well with the data. Understanding people’s values and perceptions can help inform better policy and management decisions regarding land use changes.

Some oil palm production zones have periods of low rainfall, eliciting to water stress and impacting yields. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of the supplementary irrigation application during the dry season, on the water use and the transpiration of oil palm trees, and on morphological changes that occur during the different phenological stages. The monitored site was an oil palm plantation in Jalapa, Tabasco, Mexico (17° 38 N; 92° 56 W; altitude 20 m). There, the plant density is 143 palms ha⁻¹. Two areas of palm trees with ages of 6 and 11 years were located. The soil type was classified as Gleysol. A weather station was placed in a pasture adjacent (1 km) to the plantation. The variables, evaluated from April 1 to June 23, 2017, included the structural characteristics of the plantation, sap flow, transpiration, and the morphological changes at the different phenological stages, which were assessed based on the BBCH scale. The results showed that the water use per palm tree (102–140 kg day⁻¹) and the transpiration (1.59–2.11 mm day⁻¹) were not significantly different among palm trees ages. The application of irrigation during the dry season maintained transpiration in palms of both ages and favoured inflorescence development and fruit formation by shortening the number of days it took the palm plants to reach fruit formation stage (stages 503-700), but increased the number of days required by the bunches to reach maturation (stages 709 to harvest). This study conducted during few months needs to be confirmed by longer term monitoring.

Oil palm plantations face important challenges in terms of balancing agricultural productivity and environmental sustainability. This research synthesis aims to answer key questions regarding the state and knowledge gaps of oil palm (OP) research and technological development (R&D) at a global scale, in Latin America and in Mexico, using all Web of Science® databases and agriculture categories and time spans between 1960 and 2018. Three thousand nine hundred and forty-eight publications were analysed. The research themes started with the generation of agronomic knowledge in 1960. Since 1963, studies in Latin America have focused on yield improvement; since 2010, topics related to agroecology, product quality, health issues, biodiversity, conservation impacts, and biofuel uses have been widely integrated, although some relevant themes are lacking. In addition, considering the high domestic demand for crude palm oil and great available natural resources, few Mexican institutions have participated in publications registered in Web of Science (WOS) on this topic. This research proposes a quick exploratory and reliable instrument for evaluating the agronomic interest of any agricultural production system.

The standardized methods used in carbon markets require measurement of the biomass and carbon stored in trees, which can be quantified through allometric equations. The objective of this study was to analyze aboveground biomass estimates with allometric models in three mangrove species and compare them with those used by the Climate Action Reserve (CAR) standard. The mangrove forest in Tabasco, Mexico, was certified with the Forest Protocol for Mexico Version 2.0 (FPM) of the CAR standard. Allometric equations for mangrove species were reviewed to determine the most suitable equation for the calculation of biomass. The predictions of the allometric equations of the FPM were analyzed with data from Tabasco from the National Forest and Soil Inventory 2015–2020, and the percentages of trees within the ranges of diameters of the FPM equations were determined. The FPM equations generated higher biomass values for Rhizophora mangle and lower values for Avicennia germinans than the seven equations with which they were compared. In the mangrove swamp of Ejido Úrsulo Galván, Tabasco, 81.8% of the biomass of A. germinans, 34.4% of Laguncularia racemosa and 24.0% of R. mangle were within the diameter range of the FPM equations, and in Tabasco, 28.5% of A. germinans, 16.7% of L. racemosa and 5.7% of R. mangle were within the diameter range. For A. germinans and R. mangle, we recommend using the equation that considers greater maximum diameters. The allometric equations of the FPM do not adequately predict a large percentage of the biomass.

Background: The use of regional waste as a substrate to produce oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) seedlings represents a sustainable alternative in the pre-nursery stage, reducing dependence on commercial substrates. Objective: To evaluate the effect of different regional substrates and fertilizers on the growth and development of oil palm seedlings. Methodology: The study mainly involved replacing the commercial substrate, whose main component was peat moss. Seven substrates made from regional waste were evaluated: Control: Peat : Eucalyptus spp. bark (3:2); S1: Oil palm empty fruit bunches : peat moss: perlite : vermiculite (3:1:0.5:0.5); S2: Oil palm empty fruit bunches : Cedrela odorata sawdust : palm kernel shell charcoal : Theobroma cacao husk (3:1:0.5:0.5); S3: Cedrela odorata sawdust : peat moss : palm kernel shell charcoal : Theobroma cacao husk (3:1:0.5:0.5); S4: Theobroma cacao husk : Cedrela odorata sawdust : palm kernel shell charcoal (3:1.5:0.5); S5: Eucalyptus spp. bark : Theobroma cacao husk: Cedrela odorata sawdust (3:1:1); S6: Coconut coir : Theobroma cacao husk : Cedrela odorata sawdust (3:1:1). In addition, three different types of fertilizers were tested: controlled-release fertilizer, water-soluble fertilizer, and biofertilizer with mycorrhizae. Plant growth and development were evaluated based on height and stem diameter. Results: The Control, S4, and S6 substrates with controlled-release fertilizer showed the greatest growth in height, while the Control and S4 substrates had the highest increase in stem diameter. The regional substrates had lower production cost compared to the Control substrate. Implications: The regional substrates and fertilizers were evaluated only during the prenursery stage, using tubes for a period of three months. Conclusions: This study identified sustainable substrate alternatives for oil palm seedlings production.