Abstract

LOPEZ-PEREZ, Diana; CASTILLO-ACOSTA, Ofelia; ZAVALA-CRUZ, Joel  and  HERNANDEZ-TREJO, Humberto. Structure and floristic composition of the secondary vegetation in three regions from Sierra Norte de Chiapas, Mexico. Polibotánica [online]. 2014, n.37, pp.1-23. ISSN 1405-2768.

The state of Chiapas has had severe deforestation of the different types of tropical rain forest, and now there are only fragments of the original vegetation with different degrees of succession, so that the objective was to understand the structure and floristic composition of secondary vegetation into three regions (valley, hill and slope) of the Sierra Norte de Chiapas. The hypothesis to research was that the structure and tree species composition is similar in the three regions. All trees > 2.5 cm diameter at breast height (DBH) were measured and identified in five plots of400 m2 of each region. Also obtained the diversity indice, similarity and importance value. A total of3 629 trees were identified in 104 genera, 133 species and 43 families. The abundance and number of species was higher on the hill (114 species) and lowest in the valley (77 species). There were three strata; the lower strata concentrated over 80% of individuals. The most abundant species and with high IVI were Lonchocarpus oliganthus and Saurauia yasicae in the valley and slope, respectively, while Brosimum alicastrum and Astrocaryum mexicanum highlighted on the hill. The diversity was higher on the hill (3.9) and similar in valley and slope (3.7). Greater floristic similarity was found between hill and slope (60%). Each region presented exclusive species like Swartzia arborescens and Pachira aquatica in the valley, Guarea glauca and Simaruba grandifolia on the hill, and Castilla elastica on the slope. In conclusion, the tree structure and floristic composition of secondary vegetation is different in three regions of the Sierra Norte de Chiapas.

Keywords : region; species diversity and vertical structure.