Structure and Floristic Composition in a Successional Gradient in a Cloud Forest in Chiapas, Southern Mexico

Abstract

Southern Mexico is well known for its high biodiversity. This biodiversity is a result of several factors like its geographic position, geographic diversity, and physiographic richness. In particular, Chiapas, Mexico's southernmost state holds seven physiographic zones, including valleys, mountain chains, plateaus, and coastal plains. Most of this biological richness is to be found in the eastern moist forest, northern mountains, central plateau, and Sierra Madre. The Sierra Madre mountain chain harbors some of the very last patches of Cloud Forest, which is one of the most endangered ecosystems both in Mexico and at a global scale. Fortunately, three existing biosphere reserves namely El Triunfo, La Sepultura and Volcán Tacaná, aim to protect and maintain this highly threatened ecosystem. Our research objective, was thus, to evaluate and analyze the natural successional process in a cloud forest along a successional gradient (20-25 years old, 30-35 years old, and mature forest), and to determine the floristic composition, vegetation structure, and species replacement along this gradient.