Resumen

MOLINA-GUERRA, V.M. et al. Composition and structure of a rosetophyllus desert scrub of southeast Coahuila, México. Polibotánica [online]. 2017, n.44, pp.67-77. ISSN 1405-2768.  https://doi.org/10.18387/polibotanica.44.5.

In this paper we evaluate the composition and structure of a rosetophyllus desert scrub (RDS) of southeast Coahuila, Mexico. Randomly 48 sampling sites of 50 square meters (5 x 10 m) were established. In each sampling site all of the plant species were registered. Eighteen families, 45 genera, and 56 species were recorded. The family that presented the highest percentage of species was Cactaceae with 30.35% (17 species), followed by Asteraceae with 12.50% (7 species); Fabaceae and Poaceae each represented with 8.92% (5 species). The genera with the most number of species was Agave, Echinocereus and Opuntia with species each. The structure was analyzed by two stratus’s, the high stratus with a density of 13,522 ind/ha and the low stratus with 41,841 ind/ha. The species recording the highest Index of Importance Value was Fouquieria splendens for the high stratus and Agave lechuguilla for low stratus. The present study generated quantitative information on the RDS of Coahuila, which is expected to serve as the basis for future management or conservation plans.

Palabras llave : Diversity; Cactaceae; Index of Importance Value.