Plant diversity along a disturbance gradient in a semi-arid ecosystem in Central Mexico
Background and Aims: Habitat fragmentation and other human disturbances can cause loss of soil fertility, erosion, biodiversity, among others; however, available information in arid regions is limited. Our aim was to determine the effects of a disturbance gradient on species composition in two veget...
| Hoofdauteurs: | , |
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| Formaat: | Online |
| Taal: | eng |
| Gepubliceerd in: |
Instituto de Ecología, A.C.
2016
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| Online toegang: | https://abm.ojs.inecol.mx/index.php/abm/article/view/1164 |
| _version_ | 1799771315885834240 |
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| author | Ramírez-Bravo, Osvaldo Eric Hernández-Santin, Lorna |
| author_facet | Ramírez-Bravo, Osvaldo Eric Hernández-Santin, Lorna |
| author_sort | Ramírez-Bravo, Osvaldo Eric |
| collection | ABM |
| description | Background and Aims: Habitat fragmentation and other human disturbances can cause loss of soil fertility, erosion, biodiversity, among others; however, available information in arid regions is limited. Our aim was to determine the effects of a disturbance gradient on species composition in two vegetation types in a semi-arid area of central Mexico.Methods: We selected six patches, three of shrubland and three of tropical dry forest, in the area of Cerro Colorado. We quantified the species and generic diversity of ten quadrats per patch (60 in total), placed randomly, during the months May-June 2011. We developed a disturbance index based on disturbances such as grazing and wood use among others. High, medium and low disturbance areas were identified in both tropical dry forest and shrubland.Key results: Results indicate that tropical dry forest is more diverse than shrubland. The shrubs Cnidoscolus tehuacanensis and Mimosa luisana were indicators of disturbance as they are found in higher relative abundance in highly disturbed quadrats. In tropical dry forest, three genera (Thevetia, Acacia and Bursera) showed higher relative abundance in conserved patches while in shrubland only one (Parkinsonia) shows this pattern, hence they could serve as indicator species.Conclusions: Our results provide evidence that disturbance in semi-arid areas of central Mexico plays an important role in species composition, facilitating the establishment of certain native species that can be considered colonizer species. These native species could be used as indicators of disturbance in assessing habitat suitability for different species. |
| format | Online |
| id | oai:oai.abm.ojs.inecol.mx:article-1164 |
| institution | Acta Botanica Mexicana |
| language | eng |
| publishDate | 2016 |
| publisher | Instituto de Ecología, A.C. |
| record_format | ojs |
| spelling | oai:oai.abm.ojs.inecol.mx:article-11642022-12-23T04:40:06Z Plant diversity along a disturbance gradient in a semi-arid ecosystem in Central Mexico Diversidad vegetal a lo largo de un gradiente de perturbación en un ecosistema semi-árido en el Centro de México Ramírez-Bravo, Osvaldo Eric Hernández-Santin, Lorna arid zones conservation Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Valley conservación Valle de Tehuacán-Cuicatlán zonas áridas Background and Aims: Habitat fragmentation and other human disturbances can cause loss of soil fertility, erosion, biodiversity, among others; however, available information in arid regions is limited. Our aim was to determine the effects of a disturbance gradient on species composition in two vegetation types in a semi-arid area of central Mexico.Methods: We selected six patches, three of shrubland and three of tropical dry forest, in the area of Cerro Colorado. We quantified the species and generic diversity of ten quadrats per patch (60 in total), placed randomly, during the months May-June 2011. We developed a disturbance index based on disturbances such as grazing and wood use among others. High, medium and low disturbance areas were identified in both tropical dry forest and shrubland.Key results: Results indicate that tropical dry forest is more diverse than shrubland. The shrubs Cnidoscolus tehuacanensis and Mimosa luisana were indicators of disturbance as they are found in higher relative abundance in highly disturbed quadrats. In tropical dry forest, three genera (Thevetia, Acacia and Bursera) showed higher relative abundance in conserved patches while in shrubland only one (Parkinsonia) shows this pattern, hence they could serve as indicator species.Conclusions: Our results provide evidence that disturbance in semi-arid areas of central Mexico plays an important role in species composition, facilitating the establishment of certain native species that can be considered colonizer species. These native species could be used as indicators of disturbance in assessing habitat suitability for different species. Antecedentes y Objetivos: La fragmentación del hábitat y otras alteraciones humanas pueden causar la pérdida de fertilidad del suelo, erosión y la pérdida de biodiversidad, entre otras; sin embargo, la información en zonas áridas es limitada. El objetivo de este trabajo fue determinar los efectos de un gradiente de disturbio en la composición de especies en dos tipos de vegetación en un ecosistema semi-árido del centro de México.Métodos: Se seleccionaron seis zonas de estudio diferentes en la zona de Cerro Colorado, tres de matorral xerófilo y tres de bosque tropical caducifolio. Se determinó la diversidad genérica y específica utilizando 10 cuadrantes (un total de 60), localizados al azar, durante los meses de mayo-junio de 2011. Se generó un índice de perturbación basado en las actividades que se registraron en la región como pastoreo y tala, entre otros. Las áreas de alto, medio y bajo disturbio se identificaron en el matorral xerófilo y bosque tropical caducifolio.Resultados clave: Los resultados mostraron que el bosque tropical caducifolio es más diverso que el matorral xerófilo, además de que es posible utilizar a los arbustos Cnidoscolus tehuacanensis y Mimosa luisana como indicadores, ya que se encontraban en lugares con altos niveles de perturbación. Por otro lado, en el bosque tropical caducifolio, tres géneros (Thevetia, Acacia y Bursera) presentan altas abundancias relativas en lugares conservados, mientras que en el matorral xerófilo solo uno (Parkinsonia) tiene este patrón.Conclusiones: De los resultados se puede inferir que en hábitats semiáridos del Centro de México las actividades antropogénicas juegan un papel importante en la diversidad florística, ya que facilitan el establecimiento de algunas plantas nativas que pueden ser consideradas como colonizadoras. Estas pueden ser utilizadas como indicadoras de los disturbios con la finalidad de determinar la viabilidad de hábitat para otros taxa. Instituto de Ecología, A.C. 2016-10-24 info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion artículo evaluado por pares application/pdf text/html https://abm.ojs.inecol.mx/index.php/abm/article/view/1164 10.21829/abm117.2016.1164 Acta Botanica Mexicana; No. 117 (2016); 11-25 Acta Botanica Mexicana; Núm. 117 (2016); 11-25 2448-7589 0187-7151 eng https://abm.ojs.inecol.mx/index.php/abm/article/view/1164/1377 https://abm.ojs.inecol.mx/index.php/abm/article/view/1164/html Derechos de autor 2016 Acta Botanica Mexicana https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0 |
| spellingShingle | Ramírez-Bravo, Osvaldo Eric Hernández-Santin, Lorna Plant diversity along a disturbance gradient in a semi-arid ecosystem in Central Mexico |
| title | Plant diversity along a disturbance gradient in a semi-arid ecosystem in Central Mexico |
| title_full | Plant diversity along a disturbance gradient in a semi-arid ecosystem in Central Mexico |
| title_fullStr | Plant diversity along a disturbance gradient in a semi-arid ecosystem in Central Mexico |
| title_full_unstemmed | Plant diversity along a disturbance gradient in a semi-arid ecosystem in Central Mexico |
| title_short | Plant diversity along a disturbance gradient in a semi-arid ecosystem in Central Mexico |
| title_sort | plant diversity along a disturbance gradient in a semi-arid ecosystem in central mexico |
| url | https://abm.ojs.inecol.mx/index.php/abm/article/view/1164 |
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