Open AccessRavines as refuges for O rchidaceae in south‐eastern M exico
Author(s) -
Damon Anne,
AlmeidaCerino Carlos,
ValleMora Javier,
Bertolini Vincenzo,
LópezUrbina JoséHiginio
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
botanical journal of the linnean society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.872
H-Index - 68
eISSN - 1095-8339
pISSN - 0024-4074
DOI - 10.1111/boj.12278
Subject(s) - ravine , ecology , epiphyte , habitat , species richness , biodiversity , biology , geography , archaeology
Floristic studies of south‐eastern M exico have not considered the ravine component of the landscape and, in this study, we demonstrate the potential of ravines as refuges for orchids. At elevations of 1442–2358 m in the buffer zone of the Tacaná Volcano Biosphere Reserve, in the region of Soconusco, south‐eastern M exico, where 7.68% of the landscape has slopes > 45°, we registered 86 species of orchid from 35 genera, 14 (16.25%) of which were exclusive to ravines, 47 (54.6%) were exclusive to accessible surrounding areas and 25 (29%) colonized both types of habitat. The tropical mountain cloud forest ( TMCF ) ecosystem was distributed in the accessible areas surrounding the ravines and in some sites extended into the ravines themselves. Evergreen mountain scrub forest ( EMSF ), only found in the ravines, contributed eight species of orchid exclusive to this ecosystem. The elevation, orientation and slope of the ravines influenced species richness. The instability of the ‘soils’ on steep slopes and occasional landslides were negative environmental characteristics of the ravines, which, however, were mostly dependent on the management of surrounding areas, and epiphytes inhabiting ravines and the surrounding areas shared similar risks of whole‐tree and branch fall, wind and torrential rain. © 2015 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2015, 178 , 283–297.