Parmotrema species in a cloud forest region turned into an urban zone in Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico

Abstract

Parmotrema species in a cloud forest region turned into an urban zone in Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico SUMMARYThe cloud forest of Mexico has the highest biodiversity among the country's diverse forest types; however, 90 % of the cloud forest ecosystem in the region of Xalapa has been destroyed and what remains is at risk. This region is home to an enormous diversity of lichen species. In a lichen survey carried out in this remnant of cloud forest in Xalapa, which has been turned into an urban area, we identified only eight species of Parmotrema, all of which showed vegetative propagules. Regardless of the role of the genus in the ecosystems, these lichens may be disappearing as a result of the transformation and destruction of the cloud forest ecosystem in Mexico.Key words: Parmotrema, cloud forest, Xalapa Region, Mexico. RESUMENEl bosque mesófilo de montaña es de los ecosistemas más diversos que hay en el México; sin embargo, en la región de Xalapa el 90 % ha sido destruido y el resto está en riesgo. La región alberga gran diversidad de líquenes. En este sitio de estudio, que fue un remanente de bosque mesófilo de montaña transformado a zona urbana, se identificaron solo ocho especies pertenecientes al género Parmotrema, todas ellas presentaron propágulos vegetativos. No obstante la importancia del género en los ecosistemas, estos líquenes están en riesgo de desaparecer como resultado de la transformación y destrucción del ecosistema en México.Palabras clave: Parmotrema, bosque mesófilo, región de Xalapa, México.

Lichen Community Assemblages and Functional Traits as Indicators of Vegetation Types in Central Mexico, Based on Herbarium Specimens

“…(Fagaceae), among other phorophytes has been documented (Pérez-Pérez et al 2008, 2015; Córdova-Chávez et al 2016; Ramirez-Péña 2019; Castillo-Campos et al 2019; León-González & Pérez-Pérez 2020). Lichen diversity has also been used to assess air quality and the impact of urbanization on the composition and abundance of lichen communities (Zambrano et al 2000; Pérez-Pérez & Guzmán 2015), to evaluate the effect of forest management on lichen richness and composition (Pérez-Pérez 2005; Pérez-Pérez et al 2011), and to recognize distributional patterns and phylogenetical structure of Parmeliaceae (Lücking et al 2016a). Crustose lichen biomass has been linked to carbon economy, trophic chains, and nutrient fluxes (Miranda-González & McCune 2020).…”