Community structure and floristic composition of Quercus fusiformis and Carya illinoinensis forests of the Northeastern Coastal Plain, Coahuila, Mexico

In order to describe community structure and richness in oak and walnut forests occurring along the San Rodrigo, San Diego, Escondido and Arroyo de las Vacas rivers on the Northeastern Coastal Plain (NE Coahuila, Mexico), we established 30 1 000-m2 circular plots, where we measured diameter at breas...

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Main Authors: Juan Antonio Encina-Domínguez, Efrén Mata Rocha, Jorge A. Meave, Alejandro Zárate-Lupercio
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México 2011-06-01
Series:Revista Mexicana de Biodiversidad
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Online Access:https://revista.ib.unam.mx/index.php/bio/article/view/466
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author Juan Antonio Encina-Domínguez
Efrén Mata Rocha
Jorge A. Meave
Alejandro Zárate-Lupercio
author_facet Juan Antonio Encina-Domínguez
Efrén Mata Rocha
Jorge A. Meave
Alejandro Zárate-Lupercio
author_sort Juan Antonio Encina-Domínguez
collection DOAJ
description In order to describe community structure and richness in oak and walnut forests occurring along the San Rodrigo, San Diego, Escondido and Arroyo de las Vacas rivers on the Northeastern Coastal Plain (NE Coahuila, Mexico), we established 30 1 000-m2 circular plots, where we measured diameter at breast height (DBH) and tree heights. Tree regeneration and herb and shrub stratum were assessed in 5 2-m2 quadrats per site. A total of 48 species distributed in 29 families were recorded. Families with the largest richness were Poaceae, Asteraceae, and Malvaceae. For the oak forest, tree stratum density and basal area values were 386 stems/ha and 24.36 m2/ha, respectively, whereas for the walnut forest the corresponding values were 302 stems/ha and 21.26 m2/ha. The species with the highest relative importance values were Quercus fusiformis (59.48%) and Carya illinoinensis (57.58%). Total tree richness was 14 species, the most common ones being Celtis reticulata and Diospyros texana, followed closely by C. illinoinensis and Q. fusiformis. Anthropogenic impact appears to result in a poor regeneration reflected as a low sapling density, as well as in the reduction and fragmentation of these communities; in turn, this process has led to intrusions of species typical of the xerophytic Tamaulipan Thorn Scrub. Further studies are needed on the regeneration of the dominant species of these forests in order to describe their dynamics and to promote their preservation.
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spelling doaj-art-d3221902045b41cdb19cfdedf34940342025-08-20T02:31:31ZengUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoRevista Mexicana de Biodiversidad1870-34532007-87062011-06-0182210.22201/ib.20078706e.2011.2.466Community structure and floristic composition of Quercus fusiformis and Carya illinoinensis forests of the Northeastern Coastal Plain, Coahuila, MexicoJuan Antonio Encina-DomínguezEfrén Mata RochaJorge A. MeaveAlejandro Zárate-LupercioIn order to describe community structure and richness in oak and walnut forests occurring along the San Rodrigo, San Diego, Escondido and Arroyo de las Vacas rivers on the Northeastern Coastal Plain (NE Coahuila, Mexico), we established 30 1 000-m2 circular plots, where we measured diameter at breast height (DBH) and tree heights. Tree regeneration and herb and shrub stratum were assessed in 5 2-m2 quadrats per site. A total of 48 species distributed in 29 families were recorded. Families with the largest richness were Poaceae, Asteraceae, and Malvaceae. For the oak forest, tree stratum density and basal area values were 386 stems/ha and 24.36 m2/ha, respectively, whereas for the walnut forest the corresponding values were 302 stems/ha and 21.26 m2/ha. The species with the highest relative importance values were Quercus fusiformis (59.48%) and Carya illinoinensis (57.58%). Total tree richness was 14 species, the most common ones being Celtis reticulata and Diospyros texana, followed closely by C. illinoinensis and Q. fusiformis. Anthropogenic impact appears to result in a poor regeneration reflected as a low sapling density, as well as in the reduction and fragmentation of these communities; in turn, this process has led to intrusions of species typical of the xerophytic Tamaulipan Thorn Scrub. Further studies are needed on the regeneration of the dominant species of these forests in order to describe their dynamics and to promote their preservation.https://revista.ib.unam.mx/index.php/bio/article/view/466basal areaforest regenerationoak forestspecies invasionstree densitywalnut forest
spellingShingle Juan Antonio Encina-Domínguez
Efrén Mata Rocha
Jorge A. Meave
Alejandro Zárate-Lupercio
Community structure and floristic composition of Quercus fusiformis and Carya illinoinensis forests of the Northeastern Coastal Plain, Coahuila, Mexico
Revista Mexicana de Biodiversidad
basal area
forest regeneration
oak forest
species invasions
tree density
walnut forest
title Community structure and floristic composition of Quercus fusiformis and Carya illinoinensis forests of the Northeastern Coastal Plain, Coahuila, Mexico
title_full Community structure and floristic composition of Quercus fusiformis and Carya illinoinensis forests of the Northeastern Coastal Plain, Coahuila, Mexico
title_fullStr Community structure and floristic composition of Quercus fusiformis and Carya illinoinensis forests of the Northeastern Coastal Plain, Coahuila, Mexico
title_full_unstemmed Community structure and floristic composition of Quercus fusiformis and Carya illinoinensis forests of the Northeastern Coastal Plain, Coahuila, Mexico
title_short Community structure and floristic composition of Quercus fusiformis and Carya illinoinensis forests of the Northeastern Coastal Plain, Coahuila, Mexico
title_sort community structure and floristic composition of quercus fusiformis and carya illinoinensis forests of the northeastern coastal plain coahuila mexico
topic basal area
forest regeneration
oak forest
species invasions
tree density
walnut forest
url https://revista.ib.unam.mx/index.php/bio/article/view/466
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