The need for multidisciplinary conservation: a case study of Ceratozamia (Zamiaceae, Cycadales) in eastern Mexico

Abstract

As an evolutionary lineage cycads are rare, and the extinction risk is high for many species. The genus Ceratozamia, one of the most diverse in Mexico, is experiencing drastic reductions of its habitat. Ceratozamia is widely distributed along the Sierra Madre Oriental, a complex mountain range, in a region characterized by high ecological and cultural diversity. Since 1990, various conservation and management strategies have been applied to this taxon in Mexico but evidence for the effectiveness of these measures is lacking. Ceratozamia in the Mexican Sierra Madre Oriental is highly diverse and endemic, offering a model for analysing geographical distribution patterns with ecological niche modelling. It also presents an opportunity for assessing the success of conservation and management strategies that have been implemented in this area. Here, we examined three aspects that are considered fundamental for the development and evaluation of conservation strategies: (1) taxonomy, (2) ecology and (3) sociocultural anthropology. Our findings suggest a pessimistic outlook for the long-term survival of Ceratozamia species in their natural environment, indicating the need to review the current IUCN Cycad Action Plan for the genus. To improve the protection of Ceratozamia and other taxonomic and/or ecological assemblages, we encourage a multidisciplinary approach, with increased collaboration between natural and social scientists.

Monograph of Ceratozamia (Zamiaceae, Cycadales): an endangered genus

“…Ceratozamia decumbens has not been listed in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (https://www.iucnredlist.org/). Its distribution area has been severely affected by anthropogenic land-use changes (Martínez-Domínguez et al 2021). However, known populations have between 100 to 150 adult plants with juvenile and seedlings.…”

“…Thus, this monograph is particularly timely and valuable in this era of habitat destruction and illegal collecting. Having a complete taxonomic treatment will allow for appropriate identifications that will lead to informed conservation assessments and actions (Stevenson et al 2003;Rutherford et al 2013;Martínez-Domínguez et al 2021).…”

Seed predation and potential seed dispersers of the narrow endemic Ceratozamia norstogii (Zamiaceae)

“…Ceratozamia (Zamiaceae), with ~ 35 species is one of the most diverse gymnosperms in Mexico (Martínez-Domínguez et al 2021). All species of Ceratozamia (except Ceratozamia robusta) are endemic to Mexico, so the genus diversification is linked to the evolutionary history of this region, specifically with the complex climatic history of northern Mesoamerica (from Mexico to Nicaragua) (Medina-Villarreal et al 2019, Gutiérrez-Ortega et al 2020.…”

“…This seed-animal interaction could be unexpected in cycads because their seeds produce toxic substances (mainly methylazoxymethanol glycosides) that, when ingested, cause symptoms of poisoning in vertebrates (Moretti et al 1983, Hall andWalter 2014a). In the particular case of the genus Ceratozamia, it is believed that gravity plays an important role in seed dispersal (Martínez-Domínguez et al 2021), but some observations of peccaries consuming seeds of Ceratozamia matudae Lundell and C. mirandae Vovides, Pérez-Farr. & Iglesias (Pérez-Farrera et al 2000,Pérez-Farrera and Vovides 2004, Pérez-Farrera et al 2006, and seeds inside burrows (Martínez-Domínguez et al 2018a,Martínez-Domínguez et al 2018b, Martínez-Domínguez et al 2018a suggests that this generalization for the genus is wrong.…”

“…In the particular case of the genus Ceratozamia, it is believed that gravity plays an important role in seed dispersal (Martínez-Domínguez et al 2021), but some observations of peccaries consuming seeds of Ceratozamia matudae Lundell and C. mirandae Vovides, Pérez-Farr. & Iglesias (Pérez-Farrera et al 2000,Pérez-Farrera and Vovides 2004, Pérez-Farrera et al 2006, and seeds inside burrows (Martínez-Domínguez et al 2018a,Martínez-Domínguez et al 2018b, Martínez-Domínguez et al 2018a suggests that this generalization for the genus is wrong. In addition, the large seeds of Ceratozamia, visually conspicuous and covered by a fleshy and brightly coloured sarcotesta, which also release a sweet, pungent odour, supports an animal-dispersal hypothesis (Yang et al 2012,Hall and Walter 2013,Hall and Walter 2014b,Martínez-Domínguez et al 2018a Here we report the observation of seed predators and potential seed dispersers of the endemic to Mexico and narrowly distributed Ceratozamia norstogii D.W. Stev.…”