Importance of Local Studies of Vascular Plant Communities in Conservation and Management: A Case Study in Susticacán, Zacatecas, Mexico

Some parts of the globe have a deficient vegetation coverage survey causing localized plant community qualities generalized from larger scales, hindering their particular configuration. This process is emphasized in megadiverse countries such as Mexico by transformation and loss of land cover. This...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Diversity (Basel) 2021-10, Vol.13 (10), p.492
Main Authors: Hurtado-Reveles, Leopoldo, Burgos-Hernández, Mireya, López-Acosta, Juan Carlos, Vázquez-Sánchez, Monserrat
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
anthropogenic impact
Chaparral
Climate change
Coniferous forests
Conservation
Descriptions
Endemism
Flora
Flowers & plants
Grasslands
Image analysis
Image processing
Introduced species
Invasive species
Land cover
Mountains
Outcrops
Plant communities
plant resource management
Plants
Satellite imagery
Sierra de los Cardos
temperate ecosystems
vascular flora
Vegetation
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Summary:Some parts of the globe have a deficient vegetation coverage survey causing localized plant community qualities generalized from larger scales, hindering their particular configuration. This process is emphasized in megadiverse countries such as Mexico by transformation and loss of land cover. This can be reflected in the municipality of Susticacán, Zacatecas, settled in a mountainous, scarcely explored area, the Sierra de los Cardos. This study aimed to characterize its plant communities, produce a fine-scale map and compare them to other descriptions. Oak forests, pine forests, grasslands, nopaleras, chaparral, and rock outcrop vegetation were detected through satellite image analysis, sampled, statistically evaluated, and their descriptions supported by the literature. The first two presented a high diversity and endemism, despite a small surface. The chaparral occupied the largest area, and its structure and composition suggest its secondary vegetation in expansion. The presence of exotic–invasive species and human activities threaten the native flora. This study is the first to provide detailed information on the plant communities in Susticacán and is a model for the study of local-scale regions. It highlights the importance of describing and mapping them as a contribution to delineate conservation and management efforts.
ISSN:1424-2818
1424-2818
DOI:10.3390/d13100492