CLIMATE CHANGE AND EFFECTS ON THE CONDENSATION STRIP OF THE FOG FOREST IN THE SIERRA OTOMI-TEPEHUA, HIDALGO

The mountain cloud foresto f the Sierra Otomi-Tepehua, Hidalgo has undergone changes due to climate change, mainly in the temperatura and precipitation parameters. This has mainly altered the ecosystem and its components. The objective of this study was to compare two time periods to find evidence of chenge in temperatura and precipitation and, bases on the temperatura análisis, to observe the behavior of the humidity condensation band according to the IPCC. The sensitivity method was used, establiching four temperature ranges (1, 2, 4 and 6 °C), identifying the current humidity condensation height, which allowed knowing future changes. As results, an increase in temperatura of 0.47 °C and a decrease in precipitation of 133 mm in the region were found, affecting the area’s humidity condensation strip, which tends to move with an increase of 2 °C. With the probable changes, the atmospheric humidity would no longer condense in the mountain cloud forest, making its conservation and restoration necessary.