Inventario florístico del Bosque Seco Tropical adyacente a la Reserva Ecológica Arenillas. 2024

Abstract

The Arenillas Ecological Reserve constitutes a tropical dry forest ecosystem that spans a large area and harbors highly endemic vegetation, highlighting the importance of studying the adjacent zones. The study aims to assess the current conservation status of the dry forest flora surrounding the reserve by conducting a floristic inventory to establish links between the conditions of the sampled ecosystems in Tahuín, Palmales, Chacras, and Carcabón. Vegetation samples of trees, shrubs, and herbs were collected, preserved, and analyzed using taxonomic keys, illustrated guides, digital herbariums, and databases. Field data were processed using spreadsheets and IBM SPSS Statistics 25 software. A total of 79 species were recorded in the studied dry forest, comprising 28 tree species, 27 shrub species, and 24 herbaceous species. The floristic composition analysis identified ecologically significant species, including Tabebuia chrysanta, Cochlospermum vitifolium, Rudgea skutchii, Cynophalla mollis, Oplismenus hirtellus, and Chromolaena odorata. Shannon and Simpson indices revealed moderate to high diversity levels across the studied locations, encompassing tree, shrub, and herbaceous strata. The ecological relationship among the study plots, analyzed using the Jaccard Index, suggests that the studied localities share plant species in varying proportions. This is attributed to similarities in ecological conditions, geographic proximity, ecosystem management, and external disturbances impacting biodiversity.