Connecting the dots: integrating citizen science, ecology, and habitat change for the conservation of three Leporidae species in the central mountains of Mexico.

ABSTRACT: Anthropogenic activities have a profound impact on ecosystems, threatening species and contributing to increased extinction rates. Among them are some Leporidae species, for which ecological data remains insufficient to support effective conservation. This study aimed to monitor the status of the volcano rabbit (Romerolagus diazi), eastern cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus), and Mexican cottontail (Sylvilagus cunicularius) in 2018 in southern Mexico City, using citizen science tools. The field research involved recording fecal pellets and habitat characteristics along 1 km transects. Vegetation changes over the past 20 years were analyzed using the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), and Standard Anomaly Index (SAI). Among 2,026 quadrants (~ 8,000 km²),

SUBMITTER: Ramirez-Bravo EO 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12669319 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature