Los Zúñiga Canyon: bryophyte and vascular plant communities in a floristic refuge in the Mexican central highland plateau (State of Querétaro)

Alberto Ruiz Herranz1, José Alejandro Cabrera Luna2 & Belén Estébanez Pérez1

1: Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Fac. Ciencias, C/ Darwin, 2, E-28049 Madrid, Spain (almusgo@gmail.com) 2: Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Fac. de Ciencias Naturales. Querétaro, Mexico.

In order to describe the plant diversity and communities of Los Zúñiga Canyon, and to highlight its floristic importance, we present:

- An initial checklist of vascular plants and bryophytes (from both our own and previous collections).

- A preliminary description and distribution analysis of the dominant woody vascular plant formations in the Canyon.

- An analysis of the main floristic elements in the area.

- A description of the main bryophyte communities in the different sub-environments of the Canyon.

References- Zamudio, S., J. Rzedowski, E. Carranza & G. Calderón de Rzedowski. 1992. La vegetación del estado de Querétaro, panorama preliminar. Instituto de Ecología A.C., México. 92 pp.

INTRODUCTION

OBJECTIVES

Mexico is a megadiverse country. However, extensive agriculture and livestock production result in deep alterations in the natural vegetation and in a loss of biodiversity in many areas. A great part of the State of Querétaro shows clearly the environmental cost of these activities.

Los Zúñiga Canyon (SW Querétaro) is an isolated spot, with difficult access and low anthropic activity. These kind of areas, although poorly investigated, are known to play an important role as local biodiversity refuges for many species, and their plant communities are considered as the last remants of an extremely interesting floristic zone (Zamudio et al., 1992).

This research is the first attempt to make a floristic and ecological study in the area, considering the diversity and community structure of vascular plants and bryophytes.

Fig. 1: Study area in the State of Querétaro and in Mexico

Fig. 2: Los Zúñiga Canyon

Fig. 3. Sampling localities: source of the river (1), upper course (2, 3 and 4), middle course (5 and 6), and river mouth (7).

13 4

67

2 5

Study areaLos Zúñiga is a deep, 25 km-long canyon in the hydrological basin of San Juan River (Mexican Neovolcanic Transverse Axis), between 20º 21’ and 20º 24’ N & 100º 15’ and 100º 05’ W, and with an altitudinal range of 600 meters (flowing between 2500 and 1900 m).

132

Fig. 4. Transects established in Loc. 6.

ME

TH

OD

S

Sampling of vascular plants

- Five collecting campaigns in an annual cycle (2009-10) were performed.

- Seven localities representing the diversity of plant formations were selected (Fig. 3) and vascular perennials were collected.

- In the best preserved area (loc. 6), a systematic sampling was performed along 3 transects, 50 m x 2 m (Fig. 4). All vascular perennial plants were identified and the structure of plant communities was recorded in detail.

Sampling of bryophytes

After observing the diversity in all 7 localities in the Canyon, sites with bryophyte communities representative of the different sub-environments were selected and sampled.

RE

SU

LTS

Floristic analysis(Fig. 5)

-95% of vascular plants collected in the area are native to Mexico.

- The Tropical American element is best represented (61%). The Mexican Endemism element reaches 29%.

Preliminary checklist: no. taxa

VASCULAR PLANTS

BRYOPHYTES

FAMILIES 55 25

GENERA 106 31

SPECIES 147 34

Tropical America (61%)Mexican Endemism (29%)Pantropical (4%)Widely spread in America (3%)Others (3%)

Fig. 5. Main floristic elements(see Appendix for the list of names)

Vegetation analysis: summary A

B

A

RESULTS

NESW

A

B

Source (loc. 1): area with NW-SE orientation, with livestock activities, without riparian communities. A) Oak forest, B) Evergreen shrubby oak (community not reported previously in the Canyon), and C) Eupatorium petiolare

Upper course (locs. 2, 3 & 4)

NW-SE orientation. Narrow area with oak forest in the hillsides. A) Riparian community of Salix bonplandiana and S. aeruginosa in Loc. 2. B) Riparian community of Alnus jorullensis in Locs. 3 and 4.

Medium course (locs. 5 & 6): open areas with SE orientation. Hillsides dominated by A) oak forest, or B) xerophilous scrubland, with Karwinskia humboltiana (C) and Dodonaea viscosa(D). Mixed riparian forest (Taxodium mucronatum, Alnus jorullensis, Salix bonplandiana y S. aeruginosa).

River mouth (loc. 7): area of low inclination, with SE orientation. Hillsides with dominant xerophilous scrubland. Riparian forest of Alnus jorullensis and Taxodium mucronatum, with sporadic presences of Salix bonplandiana and S. aeruginosa

Schematic representations: A) hillside vegetation and, B) riparian communitie

A

C

A B

C D

B

Main formations of woody plants

C

Terricolous bryophytes

2. Epiphytic mosses on evergreen shrubby oak

(Quercus spp.)

RESULTS

1. Epiphytic mosses on Arbutus xalapensis

- Syntrichia amphidiacea- Fabronia ciliaris var. wrightii - Orthotrichum pycnophyllum

- Lejeunea sp.-Homomalium mexicanum- Braunia secunda- Metzgeria sp.

Epiphytic bryophytes

Campylopus pilifer

Entodon beyrichii mats

Asterella lateralis community

References- Herrera-Paniagua, P., C. Delgadillo-Moya, J. L. Villaseñor-Ríos & I. Luna-Vega. 2008. Floristics and biogeography of the mosses of the state of Querétaro, Mexico. The Bryologist 111(1): 41-56. FI 1.112

Other terricolous bryophytes:

-Thuidium delicatulum var. delicatulum

-Marchantia paleacea

-Pogonatum comosum

Saxicolous bryophytesBraunia secunda is the most abundant moss along the Canyon

Grimmia pilifera cushionsBraunia secunda (1) and Hedwigia ciliata (2) mats

1 2

The communities of bryophytes in the Canyon form a heterogeneous mosaic with a high terricolous, saxicolous and epiphytic cover.The completion of the checklist must result in a high number of new records for Querétaro (where there is only available a previous study on mosses: Herrera-Paniagua, 2004) and for Mexico, particularly in the poorly study group of liverworts.

New records for the State of Querétaro

-The preliminary checklist yields 147 species of vascular plants and 34 of bryophytes.

-Almost all are native to Mexico, and most of them belong to the Tropical American element. Endemisms are well represented.

- Four new records have been obtained for the State of Querétaro: Salix aeruginosa, Tillandsia dugesii, Pogonatum comosum and Asterella lateralis. Both bryophytes are widespread in America, emphasizing the lack of floristic studies in this group. A greater number of new records is to be expected.-Some corrections to the current vegetation map are suggested: . Formations not reported previously in the area: evergreen shrubby oak and riparian forest communities. . Re-interpretations of already described formations: The xerophilous scrubland had been interpreted as

crassicaule, although cactaceae are not dominant.

Salix aeruginosa Carranza, only known before from the State of Michoacán

A

D

B

C

A

Pogonatum comosum (Müll. Hal.) Mitt. Wide distribution. A) Dry habit, B) Moist habit, C) Leaf and D) Leaf transverse section.

CONCLUSIONS

Asterella lateralis Howe. Wide distribution. A) Archegoniophore, B) Detail of the hyaline pseudoperianth.

B

Main bryophytic communities

A

Taxa (spp./subspp.) FamilySeed

plantsStenandrium dulce (Cav.) Nees AcanthaceaeGomphrena decumbens Jacq. AmaranthaceaeIresine grandis Standl. AmaranthaceaeIresine latifolia Benth. & Hook. f. AmaranthaceaeSprekelia formosissima (L.) Herb. AmarylidaceaeToxicodendron radicans (L.) Kuntze AnacardiaceaeAsclepias linaria Cav. ApocynaceaeMandevilla foliosa (Müll. Arg.) Hemsl. ApocynaceaeMatelea pilosa (Benth.) Woodson ApocynaceaeOstrya sp. ApocynaceaeAgeratina espinosarum (A. Gray) R. M. King & H. Rob. AsteraceaeAgeratina pazcuarense Kunth AsteraceaeAster subulatus Michx. AsteraceaeBaccharis heterophylla Kunth AsteraceaeBaccharis silicifolia (Ruiz & Pav.) Pers. AsteraceaeCosmos bipinnatus Cav. AsteraceaeDahlia coccinea Cav. AsteraceaeErigeron janivultus G. L. Nesom AsteraceaeEupatorium petiolare Moc. ex DC. AsteraceaeGnaphalium purpurascens DC. AsteraceaeGrindelia squarrosa (Pursh) Dunal AsteraceaePiqueria trinervia Cav. AsteraceaeSenecio sp. AsteraceaeSenecio salignus DC. AsteraceaeStevia serrata Cav. AsteraceaeBegonia gracilis Kunth BegoniaceaeAlnus acuminata subsp. glabrata (Fernald) Furlow BetulaceaeAlnus jorullensis Kunth BetulaceaeBrassica rapa L. BrassicaceaeLepidium virginicum L. BrassicaceaeTillandsia dugesii Baker BromeliaceaeTillandsia recurvata (L.) L. BromeliaceaeViridantha lepidosepala ( B. Sm.) Espejo BromeliaceaeBursera cuneata (Schltdl.) Engl. BurseraceaeBursera fagaroides (Kunth) Engl. BurseraceaeMammillaria rodantha subsp. pringlei D. R. Hunt CactaceaeMammillaria rodantha Link & Otto. subsp. rodantha CactaceaeOpuntia robusta J.C. Wendl. CactaceaeOpuntia tomentosa Salm-Dyck CactaceaeLobelia laxiflora Kunth CampanulaceaeHelianthemum glomeratum (Lag.) Lag. ex DC. CistaceaeCommelina diffusa Burm. f. CommelinaceaeTradescantia crassifolia Cav. CommelinaceaeCuscuta sp. Convolvulaceae

Taxa (spp./subspp.) FamilySeed

plantsIpomoea pubescens Lam. ConvolvulaceaeEcheveria mucronata Schltdl. CrassulaceaeEcheveria secunda Booth CrassulaceaeSedum greggii Hemsl CrassulaceaeCyperus seslerioides Kunth CyperaceaeArbutus xalapensis Kunth EricaceaeArctostaphylos pungens Kunth EricaceaeCroton ciliatoglandulifer Ortega EuphorbiaceaeCroton fruticulosus Engelm. ex Torr. EuphorbiaceaeCroton morifolius Willd. EuphorbiaceaeAcacia farnesiana (L.) Willd. FabaceaeAcacia schaffneri (S. Watson) F.J. Herm. FabaceaeCalliandra grandiflora (L'Hér.) Benth. FabaceaeDesmodium amplifolium Hemsl. FabaceaeEysenhardtia polystachya (Ortega) Sarg. FabaceaeHarpalyce arborescens A. Gray FabaceaeMacroptilium atropurpureum (Moç. & Sessé ex DC.) Urb. FabaceaeMimosa biuncifera Benth. FabaceaeMimosa aculeaticarpa Ortega FabaceaeMimosa sp. FabaceaePhaseolus coccineus L. FabaceaePhaseolus pauciflorus Sessé & Moç. ex G. Don FabaceaeSenna septemtrionalis (Viv.) H. S. Irwin & Barneby FabaceaeZornia thymifolia Kunth FabaceaeQuercus affinis Scheidw. FagaceaeQuercus castanea Née FagaceaeQuercus laurina Bonpl. FagaceaeQuercus mexicana Benth. FagaceaeQuercus rugosa Née FagaceaeQuercus texcocana Trel. FagaceaeSisyrinchium sp. IridiaceaeJuglans sp. JuglandaceaeSalvia amarissima Ortega LamiaceaeSalvia mexicana L. LamiaceaeSalvia regla Cav. LamiaceaeSalvia tiliifolia Vahl LamiaceaeSalvia sp. LamiaceaeStachys agraria Schltdl. & Cham. LamiaceaeStachys coccinea Ortega LamiaceaeCinnamomum pachypodum (Nees) Kosterm. LauraceaeLitsea glauscescens Kunth LauraceaeHeimia salicifolia Link LythraceaeAllowissadula holosericea (Scheele) D.M. Bates MalvaceaeSida rhombifolia L. MalvaceaeForestiera sp. OleaceaeFraxinus uhdei (Wenz.) Lingelsh. OleaceaeOenothera rosea L'Hér. ex Aiton Onagraceae

Taxa (spp./subspp.) FamilySeed

plantsOxalis decaphylla Kunth OxalidaceaeOxalis lunulata Zucc. OxalidaceaeArgemone ochroleuca Sweet PapaveraceaePassiflora subpeltata Ortega PassifloraceaePlumbago pulchella Boiss. PlumbaginaceaeEchinochloa crus-galli (L.) P. Beauv. PoaceaeEragrostis mexicana (Hornem.) Link PoaceaeMelinis repens (Willd.) Zizka PoaceaeMuehlenbergia sp. PoaceaePaspalum distichum L. PoaceaeEchinochloa crus-galli (L.) P. Beauv. PoaceaeLoeselia mexicana (Lam.) Brand PolemoniaceaePolygonum mexicanum Small PolygonaceaeRumex obtusifolius L. PolygonaceaeHeteranthera reniformis Ruiz & Pav. PontederiaceaeThalictrum strigillosum Hemsl. RanunculaceaeCondalia mexicana Schltdl. RhamnaceaeCondalia velutina I.M. Johnst. Rhamnaceae

Karwinskia humboldtiana (Willd. ex Roem. & Schult.) Zucc. RhamnaceaeAmelanchier denticulata (Kunth) K. Koch RosaceaeCrataegus mexicana Moc. & Sessé ex DC. RosaceaeBouvardia longiflora Cav.) Kunth RubiaceaeBouvardia multiflora (Cav.) Schult. & Schult. f. Rubiaceae

Salix aeruginosa E. Carranza SalicaceaeSalix bonplandiana Kunth SalicaceaeDodonaea viscosa (L.) Jacq. SapindaceaeBacopa procumbens (Mill.) Greenm. ScrophulariaceaeBuddleja cordata Kunth ScrophulariaceaeBuddleja sessiliflora Kunth ScrophulariaceaePenstemon roseus (Cerv. ex Sweet) G. Don ScrophulariaceaeNicotiana glauca Graham SolanaceaeSolanum americanum Mill. SolanaceaeSolanum cervantesii Lag. SolanaceaeSolanum suaveolens Kunth & C.D. Bouché SolanaceaeTaxodium mucronatum Ten. TaxodiaceaeGlandularia bipinnatifida (Nutt.) Nutt. VerbenaceaeLantana hirsuta M. Martens & Galeotti VerbenaceaeLantana hirta Graham VerbenaceaeVerbena menthifolia Benth. VerbenaceaePhoradendron robinsonii Urb. ViscaceaeCissus tiliacea Kunth VitaceaeCissus trifoliata (L.) L. VitaceaeParthenocissus quinquefolia (L.) Planch. Vitaceae

Taxa (spp./subspp.) FamilyPteridophytes

Asplenium monanthes L. AspleniaceaeSelaginella lepidophylla (Hook. & Grev.) Spring SelaginellaceaeSelaginella pallescens (C. Presl) Spring Selaginellaceae

Bryophytes Taxa (spp./subspp.) FamilyGongylanthus sp. ArnelliaceaeAsterella lateralis M. Howe AytoniaceaeBrachythecium occidentale (Hampe.) A. Jaeger BrachytheciaceaeBrachythecium stereopoma (Spruce ex Mitt.) A. Jaeger BrachytheciaceaeBryum billarderi Schwägr. BryaceaeBryum chryseum Mitt. BryaceaePohlia elongata Hedw. BryaceaeCampylopus nivalis (Brid.) Brid. DicranaceaeCampylopus pilifer Brid. DicranaceaeEntodon beyrichii (Schwägr.) Müll. Hal. EntodontaceaeErithordontium longisetum (Hook.) Paris EntodontaceaeFabronia ciliaris var. wrightii (Sull.) Grout FabroniaceaeFissidens crispus Mont. FissidentaceaeGrimmia longirostris Hook. GrimmiaceaeGrimmia pilifera P. Beauv. GrimmiaceaeBraunia secunda (Hook.) Bruch & Schimp. HedwigiaceaeHedwigia ciliata (Hedw.) P. Beauv. HedwigiaceaeCurviramea mexicana (Thér.) H.A. Crum HookeriaceaeHomomallium mexicanum Cardot HypnaceaeLejeunea sp. LejeuneaceaeMarchantia paleacea MarchantiaceaeMetzgeria sp. MetzgeriaceaeOrthotrichum pycnophyllum Schimp. OrthotrichaceaePlagiochila sp. (Dumort.) Dumort. PlagiochilaceaeAtrichum muelleri Schimp. PolytrichaceaePogotamun comosum (C.M.) Mitt PolytrichaceaeBarbula orizabensis Müll. Hal. PottiaceaeMolendoa sendtneriana (Bruch & Schimp.) Limpr. PottiaceaePseudocrossidium replicatum (Taylor) R.H. Zander PottiaceaeSyntrichia amphidiacea (Müll. Hal.) R.H. Zander PottiaceaeTrichostomum brachydontium Bruch PottiaceaeTrichostomun tenuirostre (Hook. & Taylor) Lindb. PottiaceaeTimmiella anomala (Bruch & Schimp.)

Limpr. PottiaceaeTortella humilis (Hedw.) Jenn. PottiaceaeTortella tortuosa (Hedw.) Limpr. PottiaceaePtychomitrium serratum Bruch & Schimp. PtychomitriaceaeRiccia sp. RicciaceaeThuidium delicatulum var. peruvianum (Mitt.) H.A. Crum Thuidiaceae

APPENDIX: PLANT CHECKLISTTaxa (spp./subspp.) Family

PteridophytesPolypodium thyssandepis A. Braun ex Klotzsch PolypodiaceaeAdiantum capillus-veneris L. PteridaceaeAdiantum tenerum Sw. PteridaceaeAstrolepis sinuata PteridaceaeCheilanthes bonariensis (Willd.) Proctor PteridaceaeCheilanthes kaulfussii Kunze PteridaceaeCheilanthes lendigera (Cav.) Sw. PteridaceaeCheilanthes myriophylla Desv. PteridaceaeMildella intramarginalis (Kaulf. ex Link) Trevis. PteridaceaePellaea sagittata (Cav.) Link PteridaceaePellaea ternifolia var. ternifolia (Cav.) Link Pteridaceae