Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Vegetation Heterogeneity and Life-Strategy Diversity in the Flora of the Heterogeneous Landscape of Nizanda, Oaxaca, Mexico

  • Published:
Folia Geobotanica Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We updated the floristic checklist of the Nizanda region, Isthmus of Tehuantepec (southern Mexico), characterized the occurring plant communities based on dominant species, and described the region’s flora according to life form, growth form, growth type, and growth habit spectra. Ten years of botanical exploration, along with surveys in 188 100-m2 samples from different vegetation types, provided the baseline floristic information. Ordination and classification analyses were performed to examine the degree of differentiation between communities. Geographical ranges of all species were used to assess biogeographical relationships of this flora. The inventory includes 920 species (553 genera, 124 families). More than one-third of the families were represented by a single species, whereas the 10 richest families had 43% of the species richness. Dendrograms showing plot classification at three taxonomic levels (species, genus and family) revealed savannah as the most strongly differentiated community amid seven vegetation types. Regarding growth forms, forbs and trees prevailed. Phanerophytes were the most common life form category, whereas herbs and woody plants were the dominant growth types. The largest richness for all taxonomic levels was recorded in the tropical dry forest. The expanded floristic knowledge gained for the Nizanda region provided better criteria to revise the classification scheme of its vegetation. Our preliminary biogeographical analysis illustrates the role of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec as a corridor for thermophilous floras between two oceanic watersheds, and as a natural distributional limit for several Mesoamerican plant species.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aho K, Roberts D, Weaver T (2008) Using geometric and non-geometric internal evaluators to compare eight vegetation classification methods. J Veg Sci 19:549–562

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Batalha MA, Martins FR (2004) Floristic, frequency, and vegetation life-form spectra of a Cerrado site. Brazil J Biol 64:203–209

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bhattarai KR, Vetaas OR (2003) Variation in plant species richness of different life forms along a subtropical elevation gradient in the Himalayas, east Nepal. Global Ecol Biogeogr 12:327–340

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brewer SW, Rejmánek M, Webb MAH, Fine PVA (2003) Relationships of phytogeography and diversity of tropical tree species with limestone topography in southern Belize. J Biogeogr 30:1669–1688

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burke A (2001) Determinants of inselberg floras in arid Nama Karoo landscapes. J Biogeogr 28:1211–1220

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Çakan H, Karataş Ç (2006) Interactions between mycorrhizal colonization and plant life forms along the successional gradient of coastal sand dunes in the eastern Mediterranean, Turkey. Ecol Res 21:301–310

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Castillo JJ (1996) Vegetación de la reserva de la biosfera: “La Sepultura”, Chiapas. B.Sc. Thesis, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México, D.F.

  • Cevallos-Ferriz SR, González-Torres EA (2005) Geological setting and phytodiversity in Mexico. In Vega FJ, Nyborg TG, Perrilliat M del C, Montellano-Ballesteros M, Cevallos-Ferriz SR, Quiroz-Barroso SA (eds) Studies on Mexican paleontology. Springer Netherlands, Amsterdam, pp 1–18

    Google Scholar 

  • Ferrusquía-Villafranca I (1993) Geology of Mexico: a synopsis. In Ramamoorthy TP, Bye R, Lot A, Fa J (eds) Biological diversity of Mexico. Origins and distribution. Oxford University Press, New York, pp 3–107

    Google Scholar 

  • Gallardo C (1996) Parque ecológico “La Vainilla”, Zihuatanejo, Guerrero. Estudios florísticos en Guerrero No. 8. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México, D.F.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gallardo-Cruz JA, Meave JA, Pérez-García EA (2005) Estructura, composición y diversidad de la selva baja caducifolia del Cerro Verde, Nizanda (Oaxaca), México. Bol Soc Bot México 76:19–35

    Google Scholar 

  • Gallardo-Cruz JA, Pérez-García EA, Meave JA (2009) β-Diversity and vegetation structure as influenced by slope aspect and altitude in a seasonally dry tropical landscape. Landscape Ecol 24:473–482

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • García E (2004) Modificaciones al sistema de clasificación climática de Köppen. Ed. 4a, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México, D.F.

    Google Scholar 

  • García-Mendoza AJ (2004) Integración del conocimiento florístico del estado. In García-Mendoza AJ, Ordónez MJ, Briones-Salas M (eds) Biodiversidad de Oaxaca. Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Fondo Oaxaqueño para la Conservación de la Naturaleza and World Wildlife Fund, México, D.F., pp 305–325

    Google Scholar 

  • Gentry A (1995) Diversity and floristic composition of Neotropical dry forests. In Bullock SH, Mooney HA, Medina E (eds) Seasonally dry tropical forests. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp 146–194

    Google Scholar 

  • Gonzalez-Silvera A, Santamaria-del-Angel E, Millán-Nuñez R, Manzo-Muñoz H (2004) Satellite observations of mesoscale eddies in the Gulfs of Tehuantepec and Papagayo (Eastern Tropical Pacific). Deep-Sea Res, Part II 51:587–600

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Grubb PJ, Lloyd JR, Pennington TD, Whitmore TC (1963) A comparison of montane and lowland rain forest in Ecuador I. The forest structure, physiognomy, and floristics. J Ecol 51:567–601

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gutiérrez C (1993) Lista florística del norte del estado de Veracruz (Pánuco, Pueblo Viejo y Tampico Alto). La Ciencia y el Hombre 15:71–99

    Google Scholar 

  • Ibarra-Manríquez G, Sinaca S (1987) Listados florísticos de México VII. Estación de biología tropical Los Tuxtlas, Veracruz. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México, D.F.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kent M, Coker P (2003) Vegetation description and analysis. A practical approach. John Wiley & Sons, Exeter

    Google Scholar 

  • Kier G, Mutke J, Dinerstein E, Ricketts TH, Küper W, Kreft H, Barthlott W (2005) Global patterns of plant diversity and floristic knowledge. J Biogeogr 32:1107–1116

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lebrija-Trejos E (2001) Análisis estructural de la vegetación ribereña en la región de Nizanda, Oaxaca, México. B.Sc. Thesis, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México, D.F.

  • Lebrija-Trejos E (2004) Secondary succession in a tropical dry forest of southern Mexico. M.Sc. Thesis, Wageningen University, Wageningen

  • Lebrija-Trejos EE, Bongers F, Pérez-García EA, Meave JA (2008) Successional change and resilience of a very dry tropical deciduous forests following shifting agriculture. Biotropica 40:422–431

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lenz LW (1992) Plants of the Cape Region, Baja California Sur, Mexico. The Cape Press, Claremont, California

    Google Scholar 

  • López-Hernández ES (1994) La vegetación y la flora de la Sierra de Tabasco (Municipios de Tacotalpa y Teapa, México). Universidad Juárez Autónoma de Tabasco, División Académica de Ciencias Biológicas, Villahermosa, Tabasco

    Google Scholar 

  • López-Olmedo LI, Pérez-García EA, Meave JA (2006) Estructura y composición florística de las sabanas de la región de Nizanda, Istmo de Tehuantepec (Oaxaca), México. Acta Bot Mex 77:41–67

    Google Scholar 

  • López-Olmedo LI, Meave JA, Pérez-García EA (2007) Floristics and structural contrasts between natural savannahs and anthropogenic pastures in a tropical dry landscape. Rangeland J 29:181–190

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lorence DH, García-Mendoza A (1989) Oaxaca, Mexico. In Campbell DG, Hammond HD (eds) Floristic inventory of tropical countries: the status of plant systematics, collections, and vegetation, plus recommendations for the future. New York Botanical Garden, New York, pp 253–269

    Google Scholar 

  • Lott EJ (1993) Annotated checklist of the vascular flora of the Chamela Bay region, Jalisco, Mexico. Occas Pap Calif Acad Sci 148:1–60

    Google Scholar 

  • Lott EJ, Atkinson TH (2002) Biodiversidad y fitogeografía de Chamela-Cuixmala, Jalisco. In Nogera FA, Vega J, Quesada M (eds) Historia natural de Chamela. Instituto de Biología. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México, D.F., pp 83–97

    Google Scholar 

  • Lott EJ, Atkinson TH (2006) Mexican and Central American seasonally dry tropical forests: Chamela-Cuixmala, Jalisco, as a focal point for comparison. In Pennington RT, Lewis GP, Ratter JA (eds) Neotropical savannas and seasonally dry forests. Plant diversity, biogeography, and conservation. Taylor and Francis, Boca Raton, Florida, pp 315–342

    Google Scholar 

  • Magurran AE (2004) Measuring biological diversity. Blackwell Publishing, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  • Maldonado BJ (1997) Aprovechamiento de los recursos florísticos de la Sierra de Huautla, Morelos, México. M.Sc. Thesis, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México, D.F.

  • Martin PS, Yetman D, Fishbein M, Jenkins P, Van Devender TR, Wilson RK (1998) Gentry’s Río Mayo plants. The tropical forests & environs of northwest Mexico. The Southwest Center Series, The University of Arizona Press, Tucson, Arizona

    Google Scholar 

  • Martínez E, Ramos CH, Chiang F (1994) Lista florística de la Lacandona, Chiapas. Bol Soc Bot México 54:99–177

    Google Scholar 

  • Martínez E, Sousa M, Ramos CH (2001) Listados florísticos de México XXII. Región de Calakmul, Campeche. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. México, D.F.

    Google Scholar 

  • Matallana G, Wendt T, Araujo DSD, Scarano FR (2005) High abundance of dioecious plants in a tropical coastal vegetation. Amer J Bot 92:1513–1519

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miranda F, Hernández-X E (1963) Los tipos de vegetación en México y su clasificación. Bol Soc Bot México 28:29–179

    Google Scholar 

  • Morrone JJ (2005) Hacia una síntesis biogeográfica de México. Revista Mex Biodiversidad 75:207–252

    Google Scholar 

  • Müller-Dombois D, Ellenberg H (1974) Aims and methods of vegetation analysis. John Wiley & Sons, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Pausas JG, Bradstock RA (2007) Fire persistence traits of plants along a productivity and disturbance gradient in Mediterranean shrublands of south-east Australia. Global Ecol Biogeogr 16:330–340

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pérez-García EA, Meave JA (2004) Heterogeneity of xerophytic vegetation of limestone outcrops in a tropical deciduous forest region. Pl Ecol 175:147–163

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pérez-García EA, Meave JA (2006) Coexistence and divergence of tropical dry forests and savannas in southern Mexico. J Biogeogr 33:438–447

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pérez-García EA, Meave J, Gallardo C (2001) Vegetación y flora de la región de Nizanda, Istmo de Tehuantepec, Oaxaca. Acta Bot Mex 56:19–88

    Google Scholar 

  • Pérez-García EA, Meave JA, Gallardo-Cruz JA (2005) Diversidad β y diferenciación florística en un paisaje complejo del trópico estacionalmente seco del sur de México. In Halffter G, Soberón J, Koleff P, Melic A (eds) Sobre diversidad biológica: el significado de las diversidades alfa, beta y gamma. Comisión Nacional para el Conocimiento y Uso de la Biodiversidad, Sociedad Entomológica Aragonesa, Zaragoza, pp 123–142

    Google Scholar 

  • Peterson AT, Soberón J, Sánchez-Cordero V (1999) Conservatism of ecological niches in evolutionary time. Science 285:1265–1267

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pisces Conservation Ltd (1999) Community analysis package 1.2. Pennington, Lymington

    Google Scholar 

  • Ramírez N (2002) Reproductive phenology, life-forms, and habitats of the Venezuelan Central Plain. Amer J Bot 89:836–842

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reich PB, Wright IJ, Cavender-Bares J, Craine JM, Oleksyn J, Westoby M, Walters MB (2003) The evolution of plant functional variation: traits, spectra, and strategies. Int J Pl Sci 164(3 Suppl) S143–S164

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reyes-García A, Sousa SM (1997) Listados florísticos de México: Depresión Central de Chiapas: La selva baja caducifolia. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México, D.F.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rowe N, Speck T (2005) Plant growth forms: an ecological and evolutionary perspective. New Phytol 166:61–72

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rzedowski J (1991) Diversidad y orígenes de la flora fanerogámica de México. Acta Bot Mex 14:3–21

    Google Scholar 

  • Salas-Morales SH, Saynes-Vásquez A, Schibli L (2003) Flora de la costa de Oaxaca, México: Región de Zimatán. Bol Soc Bot México 72:21–58

    Google Scholar 

  • Salas-Morales SH, Schibli L, Nava-Zafra A, Saynes-Vásquez A (2007) Flora de la costa de Oaxaca, México (2): Lista florística comentada del Parque Nacional Huatulco. Bol Soc Bot México 81:101–130

    Google Scholar 

  • Sierra-Huelsz A (2005) Relación entre la diversidad estructural y la diversidad taxonómica en comunidades leñosas de una región estacionalmente seca. B.Sc. Thesis, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México, D.F.

  • StatSoft, Inc. (2001) STATISTICA 6.0 for Windows. Tulsa, Oklahoma

    Google Scholar 

  • Steenburgh WJ, Schultz DM, Colle BA (1998) The structure and evolution of gap outflow over the Gulf of Tehuantepec, Mexico. Monthly Weather Rev 126:2673–2691

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tenorio P (1997) Estudio florístico de la cuenca del Río Hondo, Puebla-Oaxaca, México. B.Sc. Thesis, Escuela Nacional de Estudios Profesionales, Campus Iztacala, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Los Reyes Iztacala, Edo de Méx

  • Torres-Colín LM (1989) Estudio florístico y descripción de la vegetación del Cerro Guiengola, en el Istmo de Tehuantepec, Oaxaca. B.Sc. Thesis, Escuela Nacional de Estudios Profesionales, Campus Iztacala, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Los Reyes Iztacala, Edo de Méx

  • Torres-Colín R (2004) Tipos de vegetación. In García-Mendoza AJ, Ordónez MJ, Briones-Salas M (eds) Biodiversidad de Oaxaca. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Fondo Oaxaqueño para la Conservación de la Naturaleza and World Wildlife Fund, México, D.F., pp 105–117

    Google Scholar 

  • Torres-Colín R, Torres-Colín L, Dávila-Aranda P, Villaseñor-Ríos JL (1997) Listados florísticos de México XVI. Flora del distrito de Tehuantepec, Oaxaca. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México, D.F.

    Google Scholar 

  • Trejo I (2005) Análisis de la diversidad de la selva baja caducifolia en México. In Halffter G, Soberón J, Koleff P, Melic A (eds) Sobre diversidad biológica: el significado de las diversidades alfa, beta y gamma. Sociedad Entomológica Aragonesa, Zaragoza, pp 111–122

    Google Scholar 

  • Trejo I, Dirzo R (2002) Floristic diversity of Mexican seasonally dry tropical forests. Biodivers & Conservation 11:2063–2084

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van Devender TR, Sanders AC, Wilson RK, Meyer SA (2000) Vegetation, flora, and seasons of the Río Cuchujaqui, a tropical deciduous forest near Alamos, Sonora. In Robichaux RH, Yetman DA (eds) The tropical deciduous forest of Alamos. Biodiversity of a threatened ecosystem in Mexico. The University of Arizona Press, Tucson, Arizona, pp 37–101

    Google Scholar 

  • Verduzco C, Rodríguez LC (1995) El Rincón de la Vía. Estudios florísticos de Guerrero No. 4. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México, D.F.

    Google Scholar 

  • Villaseñor JL, Espinosa-Garcia F (2004) The alien flowering plants of Mexico. Diversity Distrib 10:113–123

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Villaseñor JL, Ibarra-Manríquez G, Meave JA, Ortíz E (2005) Higher taxa as surrogates of plant biodiversity in a megadiverse country. Conservation Biol 19:1–7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Webb CO, Ackerly DD, McPeek MA, Donoghue MJ (2002) Phylogenies and community ecology. Annual Rev Ecol Syst 33:475–505

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wendt T (1993) Composition, floristic affinities, and origins of the canopy tree flora of the Mexican Atlantic rain forests. In Ramamoorthy TP, Bye R, Lot A, Fa J (eds) Biological diversity of Mexico. Origins and distribution. Oxford University Press, New York, pp 595–680

    Google Scholar 

  • Westoby M, Rice B, Howe J (1990) Seed size and plant growth form as factors in dispersal spectra. Ecology 71:1307–1315

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Williams L (1939) Árboles y arbustos del Istmo de Tehuantepec, México. Lilloa 4:137–171

    Google Scholar 

  • Zamora P (2003) Vegetación y flora del Municipio de Tenabo, Campeche. Centro de Investigaciones Históricas y Sociales, Universidad Autónoma de Campeche, Campeche

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhu H, Shi JP, Zhao CJ (2005) Species composition, physiognomy and plant diversity of the tropical montane evergreen broad-leaved forest in southern Yunnan. Biodivers & Conservation 14:2855–2870

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zizumbo D, Colunga P (1980) La utilización de los recursos naturales entre los huaves de San Mateo del Mar, Oaxaca. B.Sc. Thesis, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México, D.F.

Download references

Acknowledgements

We are indebted to CONABIO (grant L085), SEMARNAT-CONACYT (2002-C01-0267), PAPIIT-UNAM (IN221503 & IN216007-3), to the colleagues listed in Electronic Supplementary Material 1, and to the people of Nizanda, especially to the Reyes-Manuel Family. Marco A. Romero helped with the management of the databases. P. Guadarrama, I. Sánchez-Gallén, O. Núñez-Castillo and many students from the Faculty of Sciences (UNAM) assisted during field work. This article benefited greatly from the positive comments of two anonymous reviewers.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Ecología y Recursos Naturales, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, México, 04510, D.F., Mexico

    Eduardo A. Pérez-García, Jorge A. Meave, J. Alberto Gallardo-Cruz & Edwin E. Lebrija-Trejos

  2. Departamento de Botánica, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, México, 04510, D.F., Mexico

    José Luis Villaseñor

  3. Forest Ecology and Forest Management Group, Centre for Ecosystem Studies, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands

    Edwin E. Lebrija-Trejos

Authors
  1. Eduardo A. Pérez-García
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jorge A. Meave
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. José Luis Villaseñor
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. J. Alberto Gallardo-Cruz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Edwin E. Lebrija-Trejos
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Eduardo A. Pérez-García.

Electronic Supplementary Material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

ESM 1

(DOC 64 kb)

ESM 2

(XLS 254 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Pérez-García, E.A., Meave, J.A., Villaseñor, J.L. et al. Vegetation Heterogeneity and Life-Strategy Diversity in the Flora of the Heterogeneous Landscape of Nizanda, Oaxaca, Mexico. Folia Geobot 45, 143–161 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12224-010-9064-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12224-010-9064-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation