Altitudinal effect and multitemporal analysis of tree structure, distribution, and richness in the Sierra Juárez of Ixtlán, Oaxaca

Abstract

Geographical variations in climate, topography, and soil determine the composition and structure of vegetation, establishing boundaries between ecoregions. The Sierra Norte de Oaxaca is characterized by these types of variations. Altitude is one of the abiotic factors influencing species distribution and forest diversity, allowing for the analysis of their response to environmental changes. In this region of Oaxaca, the objective is to analyze the altitudinal effect on the tree stratum. To do this, the Sierra Juárez is classified into biomes and altitudinal zones, where similarities are determined using ecological indices and normalized vegetation analysis. The relationship between biomes and altitude shows that the temperate forest at high altitudes has over 55% species similarity. The tropical humid forest at low altitudes has approximately 48% similarity, while the mountain humid forest at very high altitudes presents 45%. The altitudinal and topographical effects in the Sierra Juárez are determining factors in the tree component. This work contributes to the recognition of altitudinal zones of tree integration distributed across different biomes.