Diversity, spatial arrangement, and endemism of Cactaceae in the Huizache area, a hot-spot in the Chihuahuan Desert

Abstract

We studied several aspects of the cactus diversity in the Huizache, an area located in the southern extreme of the Chihuahuan Desert Region, in San Luis Potosí, Mexico. Fieldwork was conducted in a square-shaped polygon (22°30′–23°00′ N, 100°00′–100°30′ W), where a total of 80 systematically-chosen localities were sampled for cactus species. Results showed that the Huizache is an important focal point for the conservation of the Cactaceae, due to the remarkably high diversity of members of this plant family in the area. With 75 species recorded, this area has the highest concentration of cactus species in the American Continent, in comparison with other comparably-sized regions. The outstanding diversity of cactus species in the Huizache area may be explained by the relatively favorable climate of this desert area, its environmental heterogeneity, and its location in a transitional position between three regions with distinct cactus floras: Chihuahuan Desert Region, Queretaroan-Hidalgoan Arid Zone, and Tula-Jaumave Valleys. Species richness is not distributed evenly in the area; the zones of highest species concentration are primarily located in the lowland valleys, in the northwestern portion of the grid square, where typical Chihuahuan Desert conditions prevail. Of the 75 cactus species found in the area, 63% are endemic to the Chihuahuan Desert. Among these, ten species are outstanding for being endemic or nearly endemic to the Huizache area. The Huizache grid square is part of a recently declared natural reserve, The Real de Guadalcázar Natural Reserve.