Mexico is among the three first countries with major biodiversity in the world. It has numerous endemic species and unique habitats, most of them fragile, which are relevant for ecosystem productivity; however, knowledge of the structure and function of these systems is still limited. Likewise, biological diversity and predominant human activity interactions, such as agriculture, urbanization, tourism, and stock breeding have led to modify or lose natural biological systems. For this reason, we cannot postpone an assessment on the effects caused by human activities on biological diversity and on the good working order of the biological systems in order to achieve better management and their conservation.

This strategic line performs scientific research with the goal of contributing relevantly to knowledge on biodiversity in the country and that such knowledge has a significant bearing on the establishment of public policies and decision making to preserve biodiversity and use it in a sustainable manner.