Tamaulipan thornscrub after fire: an analysis of the composition of species

Abstract

Forest fires are a natural element in many terrestrial ecosystems, in Mexico one of the main causes of loss of vegetation coverage is related to them. Nevertheless, no research has been carried out in the Tamaulipan thornscrub communities regarding post-fire regenerative strategies of plant species, therefore, is important to generate knowledge about the ecological role of fire in them. The aim of this study is to characterize the arboreal and shrub vegetation of a Tamaulipan thornscrub community in the Northeast of Mexico after a fire. To determine the composition, diversity and structure of the floral community consisting of trees and shrubs, 6 square-shaped sampling sites of 1,600 m2 were established 3 years after the fire. Margalef (DMg), Shannon-Weiner (H’) and Pretzsch (A) indices were calculated to determine the richness, diversity and vertical stratification of species, respectively.23 species, 21 genera and 14 families of vascular plants were registered. The most species were Fabaceae (6) and Rhamnaceae (3) and Cordia boissieri was the specie with greater ecological weight (IVI = 20.3%). The indexes of richness and true diversity (DMg = 3.16; D = 16.44) showed high values, which suggests that the post-fire area has a good regeneration and a high species diversity. With these results we can conclude that the fire is an important agent of change in successional stages of Tamaulipan thornscrub with high values of regeneration after a surface fire.