Floristic, vegetational and geographic characteristics of the Sierra de Chiconquiaco, Veracruz, Mexico

Abstract

Background: Explored botanically from the 19th century, the Sierra de Chiconquiaco is recognized for its large vegetal and topographical heterogeneity. However, the available floristic information is sparse and its geographic characteristics remain undefined. The objective of this study was therefore to integrate floristic, vegetal and geographic information in order to identify areas that have experienced floristic exploration as well as potential sites for conservation. Question: Under which criteria can the Sierra be geographically delimited? What kind of floristic and vegetational studies have been carried out? How many species of plants have been registered? Which sites have been more widely explored? Which of them have conservation and research potentials? Study site and years of study: Sierra de Chiconquiaco, Veracruz, Mexico, 2010-2014. Methods: A bibliographical and records review of the XAL and MEXU herbariums, works and field survey were carried out. Through analysis of geomorphological attributes in a geographic information system, the boundaries of the Sierra were established, revealing an area of 3,632 km 2 , featuring 22 municipalities and an altitudinal range of 50 to 3,000 m a.s.l. Results: Seven vegetation types were described, as well as a floristic list of 3,016 species, including 72 type localities, 36 endemics, 57 registered in the NOM-059, 2010 and 195 in the CITES. Conclusions: Nine potential areas for conservation of flora were detected, as well as six that were scarcely documented in the herbaria. This study provides a relevant contribution to the knowledge, use and conservation of the vegetal resources of Mexico. Key words: floristic inventory, vegetational, botanic collections, geographic delineation, conservation zones. Florística, vegetación y características geográficas de la Sierra de Chiconquiaco, Veracruz, México ResumenAntecedentes: Explorada botánicamente desde el siglo XIX, la Sierra de Chiconquiaco destaca por su amplia heterogeneidad vegetal y topográfica. Sin embargo, la información florística disponible era dispersa y sus características geográficas indefinidas. Por este motivo, el objetivo de este estudio fue llevar a cabo una síntesis geográfica, florística y de vegetación, con el fin de identificar áreas exploradas florísticamente y sitios con potencial para la conservación. Preguntas: ¿Bajo qué criterios se delimita geográficamente a la Sierra? ¿Qué estudios florísticos y de vegetación se han llevado cabo? ¿Cuántas especies de plantas se registran? ¿Cuáles sitios son más explorados? Sitio de estudio y fechas: Sierra de Chiconquiaco, Veracruz, Mexico, 2010-2014. Métodos: Registros de los herbarios XAL y MEXU, trabajos de campo. Mediante el análisis de atributos geomorfológicos en un sistema de información geográfica, se establecieron los límites de la Sierra, que abarca una extensión de 3,632 km 2 , 22 municipios y un intervalo altitudinal de 50 a 3,000 m s.n.m. Resultados: Siete tipos de vegetación, una lista florística de 3,016 especies, que incluye 72 locali...

Past, present and future in the geographical distribution of Mexican Tepezmaite cycads: Genus Ceratozamia

“…This is due to the short distance between the coastal zone and the elevations of the mountain range, which rises from thirty-five to almost 3,000 m a.s.l. [ 33 ]. The biodiversity of this area is threatened due to several activities, such as deforestation, forest fires, livestock, and agriculture, particularly in the mountains [ 34 ].…”

“…This area is topographically and climatically complex, with seven types of vegetation. It possesses a high plant diversity with 3019 species, including thirty-six endemic, 57 protected by Mexican laws, and 195 listed in CITES (including six cycads) [ 33 ].…”

Past, present and future in the geographical distribution of Mexican tepezmaite cycads: genusCeratozamia

“…This is due to the short distance that exists between the coastal zone and the elevations of the mountain range, which rises from thirty-five to almost 3,000 m a.s.l. [34].…”

“…This is due to the short distance that exists between the coastal zone and the elevations of the mountain range, which rises from thirty-five to almost 3,000 m a.s.l. [34]. The biodiversity of this area is threatened due to several activities such as deforestation, forest fires, livestock and agriculture, particularly in mountains [35].…”

The first epiphytic species of Valeriana in the world: Valeriana rudychazaroi (Caprifoliaceae)

“…The first collections of the species (previous to 2017) have been lost due to the death of Miguel Cházaro. During one decade of botanical explorations in the Cerro de la Magdalena Mountain and adjacent regions for floristic inventories and species descriptions ( Lascurain–Rangel et al 2017 ; Francisco-Gutiérrez et al 2023a ), very few specimens have been found and collected in the same locality of the type, some of them preserved as sterile material. The new species grows on very tall Quercus glabrescens ( Fagaceae ) trees, at altitudes of 3–6 m. It is distributed in the remnants of very humid pine-oak forests at elevations from 2,900 to 2,950 m. This species inhabits a zone of cloud forests on cliffs with strong winds rising from the Sierra de Chiconquiaco, Veracruz.…”