Efecto de los incendios y la elevación en la regeneración de Pinus hartwegii Lindl. en el noreste de México

Abstract

Introduction: Fire regimes and climate change affect the regeneration of vegetation, composition and abundance of species. Objectives: To compare P. hartwegii regeneration and the number of trees with fire scars at different elevations; and determine whether regeneration is related to the density of adult trees and to the density of pine trees with fire evidence. Materials and methods: P. hartwegii regeneration was studied at the altitudinal ranges 3 050, 3 225 and 3 400 m in the mountain El Potosi located in northeastern Mexico. Adult trees were sampled using the point-centered quarter method and saplings on square plots. Results and discussion: Density of adult pine trees and seedlings was higher at the low elevations (3 050 and 3 225 m). Density of pine trees with fire scars was similar (P > 0.05) at the three elevations. No correlation was detected between regeneration and number of pine trees with fire scars, but there was a positive correlation between density of seedlings and that of adult pines Conclusion: Altitude influences regeneration and density of P. hartwegii adult trees. Its regeneration is not related to fire evidence.