Abstract

RODRIGUEZ-AVALOS, José A. et al. Floristic elements of interest for conservation in wet forests of Sierra del Laurel and Sierra Fría, Aguascalientes, Mexico. Rev. Chapingo ser. cienc. for. ambient [online]. 2013, vol.19, n.3, pp.435-457. ISSN 2007-4018.  https://doi.org/10.5154/r.rchscfa.2013.04.014.

Aguascalientes is located in the north central area of Mexico, where converge oak forests and pine-oak forests from the Sierra Madre Occidental, grasslands and xerophilous scrubs from the Zacatecas-San Luis Potosi Highland and tropical dry forest from the basins of river Juchipila and river Verde. Within this floristic diversity, we recorded a small set of elements indicating humid environments related to the mountain mesophilous forest, conserved into wet ravines of the Sierra Fría and Sierra del Laurel, as part of oak and riparian forests. To estimate the distribution of these species and their communities, we conducted a study using visual analysis techniques, SPOT-5 multispectral satellite imagery and vegetation field sampling methods. Consistent with the results, we estimated that the sites with elements related to the mountain mesophilous forest is 1,031.5 ha, distributed in 12 main localities. The sites with higher species richness are Boca Oscura and Los Alisos in the Sierra del Laurel. Among the most important species are Alnus acuminata, Cercocarpus macrophyllus, Clethra hartwegii, Garrya laurifolia, Litsea glaucescens, Populus tremuloides, Quercus castanea and Quercus candicans; which are common components found in temperate-wet forests of central and western Mexico.

Keywords : Oak forests; wet forests; Alnus acuminata; Clethra hartwegii; Litsea glaucescens.

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