Background:

The Sierra de Zapaliname is located in the transition zone between the Sierra Madre Oriental and Altiplanicie, convering in the area temperate forests and desert scrub.

Questions:

How many vegetation types are in the Sierra de Zapalinamé? What are the agents of vegetation change between the years 1998 - 2017?

Species of study and description of data:

Angiosperms, gymnosperms and ferns.

Study site and year of study:

Conducted in the Sierra de Zapalinamé, a Protected Natural Area, located in the southeastern Coahuila (august 2015 to october 2017).

Methods:

Using a geographic information systems (GIS), a map of vegetation and land use was defined. Field trips were made to locate verification sites to detail the map.

Results:

Eleven communities are presented, those with more surface are: montane chaparral with 13,253.09 ha representing 30.22 % and the pinyon pine forest with 25.31 % of the area. In canyons with more humidity, there is oak forest that occupies 1.57 % of the area and in places with higher elevations, fir forest grows with 0.94 %. A reduction in the surface of the pine forest was found by almost 69.2 %, while human settlements increased by 78 %.

Conclusions:

Forest fires have reduced pine forest, oak forest and fir forest, replacing it with montane chaparral. The grassland and riparian vegetation are the most vulnerable communities to disappear from the area due to the pressure of anthropogenic activities.

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