Flora and vegetation of the seasonally dry tropics in Mexico: origin and biogeographical implications
Among the many explanations for the large biological diversity of Mexico is that it is the result of the contact between the Nearctic and Neotropical biotas; however, this contact-related explanation is not fully satisfactory and needs further examination in the light of historical biogeography. We...
| Prif Awduron: | , , |
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| Fformat: | Online |
| Iaith: | spa |
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Instituto de Ecología, A.C.
2012
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| Mynediad Ar-lein: | https://abm.ojs.inecol.mx/index.php/abm/article/view/35 |
| _version_ | 1799771095780294656 |
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| author | Pérez-García, Eduardo A. Meave, Jorge A. Cevallos-Ferriz, Sergio R. S. |
| author_facet | Pérez-García, Eduardo A. Meave, Jorge A. Cevallos-Ferriz, Sergio R. S. |
| author_sort | Pérez-García, Eduardo A. |
| collection | ABM |
| description | Among the many explanations for the large biological diversity of Mexico is that it is the result of the contact between the Nearctic and Neotropical biotas; however, this contact-related explanation is not fully satisfactory and needs further examination in the light of historical biogeography. We offer newer insights into this issue by examining the history of the flora and the vegetation heterogeneity of the seasonally dry tropics of this country. Several environmental criteria can be used to define the seasonally dry tropical regions, but setting their precise geographical boundaries is not always straightforward. This is largely due to the large vegetation heterogeneity of this region, within which the tropical dry forest (TDF) is prominent. The origin of the TDF flora can be traced back at least as far as 20 million years before present and seems to be associated with the Tertiary North American flora. Available evidence does not support a South American origin of the TDF flora. Similarly, the separation of the TDF and the hot North American desert floras into two different biogeographical realms is not warranted. The history of the seasonally dry tropical flora of Mexico strongly suggests that this biogeographical dichotomy should be replaced by the recognition of the existence of a Pan-American Realm. |
| format | Online |
| id | oai:oai.abm.ojs.inecol.mx:article-35 |
| institution | Acta Botanica Mexicana |
| language | spa |
| publishDate | 2012 |
| publisher | Instituto de Ecología, A.C. |
| record_format | ojs |
| spelling | oai:oai.abm.ojs.inecol.mx:article-352023-02-16T23:54:21Z Flora and vegetation of the seasonally dry tropics in Mexico: origin and biogeographical implications Flora y vegetación de los trópicos estacionalmente secos en México: origen e implicaciones biogeográficas Pérez-García, Eduardo A. Meave, Jorge A. Cevallos-Ferriz, Sergio R. S. Holarctic Realm Neotropical Realm phytogeography tropical dry forest vegetation heterogeneity bosque tropical caducifolio fitogeografía heterogeneidad vegetacional Reino Holártico Reino Neotropical Among the many explanations for the large biological diversity of Mexico is that it is the result of the contact between the Nearctic and Neotropical biotas; however, this contact-related explanation is not fully satisfactory and needs further examination in the light of historical biogeography. We offer newer insights into this issue by examining the history of the flora and the vegetation heterogeneity of the seasonally dry tropics of this country. Several environmental criteria can be used to define the seasonally dry tropical regions, but setting their precise geographical boundaries is not always straightforward. This is largely due to the large vegetation heterogeneity of this region, within which the tropical dry forest (TDF) is prominent. The origin of the TDF flora can be traced back at least as far as 20 million years before present and seems to be associated with the Tertiary North American flora. Available evidence does not support a South American origin of the TDF flora. Similarly, the separation of the TDF and the hot North American desert floras into two different biogeographical realms is not warranted. The history of the seasonally dry tropical flora of Mexico strongly suggests that this biogeographical dichotomy should be replaced by the recognition of the existence of a Pan-American Realm. Entre las diversas ideas que se han propuesto para explicar la gran diversidad biológica de México está la que afirma que ésta es el resultado del contacto de las biotas neotropical y neártica; sin embargo, esta explicación relacionada con el gran contacto biótico de las Américas no es completamente satisfactoria y necesita ser revisada a la luz de la biogeografía histórica. En este artículo ofrecemos nuevas perspectivas sobre este asunto por medio de una revisión de la historia de la flora y la heterogeneidad vegetacional del trópico estacionalmente seco de este país. Se han usado varios criterios ambientales para definir las regiones tropicales estacionalmente secas, pero ubicar con precisión sus límites geográficos no es siempre fácil. Esto se debe en gran medida a la gran heterogeneidad de la vegetación presente en esta región, entre la que predomina el bosque tropical caducifolio (BTC). El origen de la flora del BTC se remonta, por lo menos, unos 20 millones de años antes del presente y parece estar asociada con la flora del Terciario de Norteamérica. La evidencia disponible no apoya un origen sudamericano para el BTC. Asimismo, no hay razones que justifiquen de forma convincente la separación de la flora del BTC y la de los desiertos calientes de Norteamérica en dos reinos biogeográficos diferentes. La historia de la flora del trópico estacionalmente seco de México sugiere fuertemente que esta dicotomía biogeográfica debería ser reemplazada por el reconocimiento de la existencia de un Reino Panamericano. Instituto de Ecología, A.C. 2012-07-01 info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion artículo evaluado por pares application/pdf text/plain https://abm.ojs.inecol.mx/index.php/abm/article/view/35 10.21829/abm100.2012.35 Acta Botanica Mexicana; No. 100 (2012); 149-193 Acta Botanica Mexicana; Núm. 100 (2012); 149-193 2448-7589 0187-7151 spa https://abm.ojs.inecol.mx/index.php/abm/article/view/35/47 https://abm.ojs.inecol.mx/index.php/abm/article/view/35/63 Derechos de autor 2015 Acta Botánica Mexicana https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0 |
| spellingShingle | Pérez-García, Eduardo A. Meave, Jorge A. Cevallos-Ferriz, Sergio R. S. Flora and vegetation of the seasonally dry tropics in Mexico: origin and biogeographical implications |
| title | Flora and vegetation of the seasonally dry tropics in Mexico: origin and biogeographical implications |
| title_full | Flora and vegetation of the seasonally dry tropics in Mexico: origin and biogeographical implications |
| title_fullStr | Flora and vegetation of the seasonally dry tropics in Mexico: origin and biogeographical implications |
| title_full_unstemmed | Flora and vegetation of the seasonally dry tropics in Mexico: origin and biogeographical implications |
| title_short | Flora and vegetation of the seasonally dry tropics in Mexico: origin and biogeographical implications |
| title_sort | flora and vegetation of the seasonally dry tropics in mexico: origin and biogeographical implications |
| url | https://abm.ojs.inecol.mx/index.php/abm/article/view/35 |
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