Recent droughts in Puerto Rico and throughout the Caribbean have emphasized the region's agricultural vulnerability to this hazard and the increasing need for adaptation mechanisms to support sustainable production. In this study, we assessed the geographic extent of agricultural conservation practices incentivized by US Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and evaluated their large-scale contribution to drought adaptability. We identified concentrations of drought-related practices (e.g. cover crops, ponds) applied between 2000 and 2016. Using information from spatial databases and interviews with experts, we assessed the spatial correlation between these practices and areas exposed to drought as identified by the US Drought Monitor. Between 2000 and 2016, Puerto Rico experienced seven drought episodes concentrated around the south, east and southeastern regions. The most profound drought occurred between 2014 and 2016 when the island experienced 80 consecutive weeks of moderate drought, 48 of severe drought and 33 of extreme drought conditions. A total of 44 drought-related conservation practices were applied at 6984 locations throughout 860 km2 of farmlands between 2000 and 2016 through the NRCS-Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). Practices related to water availability were statistically clustered along the coasts, whereas soil and plant health practices were clustered in the mountainous region. While these concentrations strongly correlated with areas exposed to moderate drought conditions, >80% did not coincide with areas that experienced severe or extreme drought conditions, suggesting that areas highly exposed to drought conditions generally lacked drought preparedness assisted by EQIP. Climate projections indicate an increase in the frequency and intensity of drought events, particularly in the eastern region of Puerto Rico. Our analysis highlighted the need to implement more conservation practices in these areas subject to drought intensification and exposure. Government programs intended to address vulnerabilities and enhance capacity and resilience may not be reaching areas of highest exposure. Recommendations include raising producer awareness of past and future exposure and making programs more accessible to a broader audience.

The Forest Service, an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is dedicated to the principle of multiple use management of the Nation's forest resources for sustained yields of wood, water, forage, wildlife, and recreation. Through forestry research, cooperation with the States and private forest owners, and management of the national forests and national grasslands, it strives-as directed by Congressto provide increasingly greater service to a growing Nation.USDA prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.

J. Castro-Prieto contributed to data analyses; prepared figures, tables, and appendices; wrote species descriptions; and wrote and edited the different sections of this atlas. J.M. Wunderle, Jr. initiated the atlas project by organizing the first meetings with lead participants; served as the science advisor for the atlas; contributed to field data gathering, data reviewing, and some initial analyses; advised on data presentation; edited the atlas; provided citations of key publications; and wrote sections of the introduction in chapter 1. J.A. Salguero-Faría coordinated field data collection, data entry, and review; and edited species accounts, figures, and tables, as well as major sections of this atlas. S. Soto-Bayó organized and updated the database, contributed to data analyses, and prepared figures and maps for the atlas and for the species accounts. J.D. Crespo-Zapata described, edited, and reviewed the species accounts including figures, tables, and cited literature. W.A. Gould was one of the participants in the first meeting that led to the development of the atlas, contributed to the development of most of the spatial layers used in this atlas to estimate species distribution, and served as a reviewer of the document and the species accounts.

Iguana de isla de Mona (Cyclura cornuta stejnegeri). Foto por: Robert van Dam (5) Información sobre las áreas marinas protegidas.