Abstract

RAMOS-HERNANDEZ, César Gerardo et al. Structure and diversity in three forest ecosystems of Northeastern Mexico. Polibotánica [online]. 2024, n.57, pp.45-61.  Epub Apr 19, 2024. ISSN 1405-2768.  https://doi.org/10.18387/polibotanica.57.3.

The forest ecosystems of the Sierra Madre Oriental (SMO) play a very important role in providing wood to the region and its communities, as well as serving as significant providers of environmental services. With the goal understanding the structure and diversity of forest ecosystems in northeastern Mexico, 30 plots, each of 250 m2, were established in three vegetation communities (10 per community), where recorded variables included normal diameter (Dn; cm), height (H; m), and crown area (m2) for all individuals with Dn > 5 cm. The Importance Value Index (IVI), diversity, and species richness were estimated using the Shannon-Weiner ( 𝐻 ´ ) and Margalef ( 𝐷𝑀 𝑔 ) indices, and the similarity between ecosystems was assessed with the Bray-Curtis index. The highest IVI for the Pine ecosystem was found in Pinus pseudostrobus (25.59%) and P. arizonica (25.43%), in the Oak-Pine ecosystem for Quercus laceyi (37.47%) and Pinus pseudostrobus (19.14%), and in the altered Forest for the species Ceanothus fendleri (24.08%) and Juniperus pinchotii (16.84%). In general, for the three studied ecosystems, the Margalef ( 𝐷𝑀 𝑔 ) and Shannon-Weiner ( 𝐻 ´ ) indices indicated low diversity (1.13 and 1.14, respectively), while the similarity results showed that the Pine ecosystem and the altered Forest shared 51%. The Pine ecosystems along with Oak-Pine and Oak-Pine with the altered Forest exhibited lower similarities (20% and 21%, respectively). The studied vegetation communities provide insights into the current state of the forest ecosystems in the SMO.

Keywords : Pine and Oak Forest; Forest ecosystems; Structure; Diversity indices; Evenness.

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