Abstract

ESPINOZA ZUNIGA, Pablo et al. Spatial variability of mistletoe (Loranthaceae) in green areas of Coyoacán municipality, Mexico City. Rev. mex. de cienc. forestales [online]. 2024, vol.15, n.85, pp.171-195.  Epub Nov 19, 2024. ISSN 2007-1132.  https://doi.org/10.29298/rmcf.v15i85.1469.

Urban forests are green spaces designed to improve the relationship between nature and people, but due to their strong interaction with people they must be protected. Urban trees grow under greater environmental stress which makes them more susceptible to pests and diseases, including parasitic plants such as true mistletoe. The Cladocolea genus, known as true mistletoe, corresponds to parasitic plants of great interest to arborists, since they infest trees and shrubs, and cause severe damage to hosts. The present research aimed to establish the type of spatial variability of true mistletoe populations in urban green areas of the Coyoacán municipality of Mexico City through the use of Geostatistics. 38 sites of said demarcation were sampled, of which the parasitic plant was identified in 10. Experimental and theoretical semivariograms, pest aggregation maps and an estimation of the infested area were developed using Geostatistics, and the Ia and Ja indices were determined using SADIE. The results showed that mistletoe has an aggregated distribution that fits the exponential, Gaussian and spherical statistical models, with an aggregated spatial distribution, which helps in the development of phytosanitary management programs for urban trees.

Keywords : Aggregation; urban forests; Geostatistics; ordinary Kriging; true mistletoe; SADIE.

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