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The heterogeneity of the biophysical landscapes in the sierra-coast region of Michoacan, Mexico, determines the distribution of ecological, societal and economical variables within the area. At the same time, this heterogeneity influences the land-use potential and susceptibility to degradation by those uses. The mapping, characterization and classification of such landscape units can play an important role as basic information and provide reference units for landscape visions in planning processes at regional levels. This study aims to describe the complex biophysical structure of the San Telmo-Ticuiz-Boca de Apiza area, on the northwest coast of Michoacan, Mexico at a scale of 1:50,000. The various landscape units are described in this context to form an orientation and basis for spatial planning in the sierra-coast region.

Ticks are regarded as the most relevant vectors of disease-causing pathogens in domestic and wild animals. The diversity of Ixodidae is known for a very small number of genera. Ixodes are represented by 26 species, and in 2007 the first reported ticks vectors in Mexico for the causal agent of Lyme disease. Recent rise in tick-borne disease in many parts of the world is a phenomenon in need of an explanation. The main objective of the present work was to map at a regional scale (1:2,000,000) of the distribution of ticks of the family Ixodidae that are potentially present on the wild fauna of state of Michoacan, Mexico. We compiled all available literature on ticks at a national level together with complete cartographic and bibliographic georeferenced information of the distribution of hosts in order to build a spatial database in ArcView 3.3. The results indicated that the wild fauna in the state's territory could potentially include 31 species of ticks of Ixodidae. The map of potential species richness of ixodid ticks on the wild fauna of the state can be categorized into five classes of species richness. The highest potential concentration of ixodid species on wild fauna occurs in the volcanic area of Pico de Tancítaro.