Floristic diversity of a coastal ecosystem in Campeche, México

Abstract

Avilés-Ramírez, G.A., Candelaria-Martínez, B., Sandoval-Gío, J.J., Chan-Uc, D.M., Chan-Coba, J.G., Medina-García, M., Rodríguez-Ávila, N.L. 2018. Floristic diversity of a coastal strip ecosystem in Campeche, México. Ecosistemas 27(3):123-129. Doi.: 10.7818/ECOS.1581

Coastal ecosystems provide many environmental services and its study is the basis for strategies of conservation and recovery. Its plant structure is the result of the spatial arrangement of the species based on environmental conditions and the availability of resources. The bay of Xpicob, Campeche, Mexico is a critical habitat for protected species of marine fauna. To describe its vegetation, a representative strip of 3.5 km along the coast was chosen, dividing it into four zones based on altitude, terrain relief and degree of human intervention. In total, 1406 individuals were sampled, distributedin 30 species grouped into 17 representative families of the medium subdeciduous forest and wetlands, confirming their ecotone character. The most abundant family was Fabaceae and Leucaena leucocephala the most representative species, with an abundance of 450 individuals and a density of 14.62 ind ha-1. The alpha diversity analyzes reflect that the richness of species and families is related to an altitude gradient; it was higher in less elevated sites and contiguous to the jungle, where the equity of species was also greater. The beta diversity analysis and cluster reflected a partial replacement of endemic plant species influenced by human activity. The results show that the coastal zone of Xpicob is subject to strong anthropogenic pressure that must be considered for restoration and conservation work.