Abstract

ZEPEDA-GOMEZ, Carmen; BURROLA-AGUILAR, Cristina; ESTRADA-ZUNIGA, María Elena  and  WHITE-OLASCOAGA, Laura. Richness and geographical affinities of an Abies religiosa’s forest from the Transmexican Volcanic Belt. Caldasia [online]. 2018, vol.40, n.1, pp.54-70. ISSN 0366-5232.  https://doi.org/10.15446/caldasia.v40n1.68658.

Fir forests (Abies religiosa) in central Mexico have been subjected to strong human pressures and their richness and the geographic affinity of their flora in some regions have been poorly analyzed. Through field trips and collections of botanical specimens, the floristic composition and patterns of current geographical distribution of families, genera and species were determined of a fir forest located in the Transmexican Volcanic Belt. We obtained a list of 94 species grouped in 74 genera and 42 families. 67 % of the flora is grouped in 13 families of which Asteraceae family stands out for gather the largest number of species (24.5 %) and genera (22 %). The floristic similarity between the study area and neighboring forests increases with geographical proximity. 60 % of the families have a widespread distribution, while 50 % of the genera are exclusive of the Americas, distributed mainly from Mexico to Central America. At the species level 95.8 % have American distribution, of which 44.2 % are found only in Mexico and 36.8 % from Mexico to Central America. Among the tree species 61.4 % elements are from Mexico to Central America, while the shrubs and herbs are mainly endemic species to Mexico (60 % and 43.6 % respectively). The high proportion of endemic species in the analyzed fir forest; require continuous monitoring to ensure the generation of new alternatives for its conservation.

Keywords : Fir forest; floristic; geographical distribution; monarch butterfly; phytogeography.

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