Abstract

AVILA SANCHEZ, P.; SANCHEZ-GONZALEZ, A.  and  CATALAN EVERASTICO, C.. Structure and composition of vegetation in Zopilote Canyon, Guerrero, Mexico. Rev. Chapingo ser. cienc. for. ambient [online]. 2010, vol.16, n.2, pp.119-138. ISSN 2007-4018.  https://doi.org/10.5154/r.rchscfa.2010.02.003.

An analysis was carried out of the change in the composition and structure of vegetation along an elevation gradient in Zopilote Canyon, located in the Balsas River Basin in Guerrero. In an altitude range from 450 to 2,800 m, 28 sampling plots were established in five different vegetation types, defined by their physiognomy. Within each vegetation type, six 1,000 m² plots were selected for sampling tree species, and within these a 100 m² subplot was established for shrubs and two 6 m² subplots for herbaceous plants. The structural attribute estimated was the relative importance value of each species; cluster analysis was used for classifying vegetation types. In the elevation range studied, 314 species of vascular plants were identified (including four in the NOM-059-ECOL-2001), in 204 genera and 79 families. The most species-rich families were: Asteraceae, Fabaceae, Burseracea, Lamiacaea and Euphorbiaceae. Five vegetation types were identified: tropical deciduous forest, palm swamp, Quercus forest, Pinus forest and mountain cloud forest. The close proximity of these different vegetation types is most likely due to the abrupt changes in topographical and climatic conditions in Zopilote Canyon.

Keywords : Vegetation classification; mountain forest; Balsas River Basin; elevation gradient; plant community structure.