Vegetation Structure, Classification and Climatic Characteristics in Temperate-like Mountain Forests Dominated by Abies jaliscana in Western Mexico
Abstract
Aim
of study:
Examine patterns in woody species composition, vegetation structure,
precipitation and temperature parameters over two fir forest elevation ranges
and to discuss some biome-climate characteristics.
Area
of Study:
Field sampling was conducted in 20 Abies
forest sites over two elevation ranges (Laguna Juanacatlan and Cerro La Bufa)
in western Jalisco, Mexico.
Material
and Methods: Using linear regressions, relationships between climate and
fir forest structure were inferred. We examined vegetation structure
complemented by cluster and indicator species analyses.
Main
results: A
total of 2378 stems belonging to 67 species were recorded, species richness and
Shannon index were not different between localities. Cluster analysis suggest
three forest types: upper montane cloud forest (UMCF), mixed fir-UMCF and fir
forest. Fir basal area and abundance showed differences between localities.
Reverse J-shaped size distribution pattern was found, except in the Cerro La
Bufa lower belt, where a J-shaped pattern indicates low recruitment and high
number of canopy individuals.
Highlights: The lower temperatures and increase in winter rainfall along the elevational gradient, enable an auspicious habitat for western Mexican fir forests.
Keywords
References
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