Floristic composition of disturbed tropical montane cloud forest and its ecotones in the National Park Cañón del Río Blanco, Veracruz, Mexico

Abstract

Background and Aims: Within the polygonal of the Cañón del Río Blanco National Park (PNCRB), very few floristic studies have been carried out, hence, the aim of this research is to contribute to the floristic knowledge of the disturbed tropical montane cloud forest and its ecotones with tropical rain forest and oak forest, located in the Altas Montañas region in Veracruz, Mexico. Methods: The collection of botanical specimens was realized during two periods, the first one from 2012 to 2014 and the second one in 2016, supplementing the list by consulting the collections deposited in the CORU herbarium “Dr. Jerzy Rzedowski Rotter” of the Biological and Agropecuarian Sciences Faculty of the University of Veracruz, those mentioned in the Flora of Veracruz fascicles, and records from the National Herbarium of Mexico MEXU, checked on the Open Data Webpage of the National Autonomous University of Mexico. Key results: 1742 records were obtained, including 136 botanical families, 414 genera and 663 species. The most represented botanical families were Orchidaceae, Asteraceae, Bromeliaceae, Fabaceae, Solanaceae, and Malvaceae. Conclusions: Although this area has a high anthropogenic disturbance, the fragments of the cloud forest and its ecotones in the PNCRB have a great richness of vascular plant species, showing the highest value ever reported in Veracruz state. The floristic list here presented will help to make decisions for conservation of natural resources and/or restoration of the study area. Key words: conservation, endemism, evergreen tropical forest, oak forest, protected species.