| Abstract Detail
Biogeography Vanderplank, Sula [1], Talley, Drew [2], Zatarain Gonzalez, Jesús [3]. Rooted in the Islands: Documenting changes in the flora of the archipelago of Bahía de Los Ángeles, Mexico. The archipelago of Bahía de Los Àngeles (BLA), an International Biosphere Reserve and UNESCO World Heritage Site, comprises some of the floristically least-studied islands of the Baja California peninsula. In 2002, the floristic diversity and abundance on these islands was documented extensively by P. West. Working with a group of underrepresented minority high school students in the BAHIA program of Ocean Discovery Institute (ODI), we re-surveyed abundance data and assessed floristic change in the summer of 2016. Abundance was calculated using the ordinal abundance scale used by West for all perennial plant species of nine small islands in the archipelago. Island biogeographical patterns were assessed for island size and percentage of guano (which significantly affects floristic composition). Two of the islands have experienced significant losses in perennial species diversity over the last 14 years, but species such as the Cardón (Pachycereus pringlei) had increased in abundance on several islands. The number of non-native taxa on the islands was also assessed and has been seen to decline, thanks to the efforts of the Mexican National Park Service (CONANP). Ice plant (Mesembryanthemum crystallinum) was only recorded on one of the islands visited. This study is part of a series of monitoring projects that demonstrate the role high-school students can play in conservation-based field botany.
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Related Links:
Blog on the field work
1 - Botanical Research Institute of Texas, 1700 University Drive, Fort Worth, TX, 76107, United States
2 - University of San Diego, Environmental and Ocean Sciences, 5998 Alcala Park, San Diego, CA, 92110, USA
3 - Comisión Nacional de Áreas Naturales Protegidas, Reserva Islas del Golfo de California, Bahía de los Angeles, Bahía de los Ángeles, Canales de Ballenas y Salsipuedes, Bahia de Los Angeles, Baja California, Mexico
Keywords:
Baja California
invasive plant
native species.
Presentation Type: Poster
Session: P, Biogeography
Location: Exhibit Hall/Omni Hotel
Date: Monday, June 26th, 2017
Time: 5:30 PM This poster will be presented at 6:15 pm. The Poster Session runs from 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm. Posters with odd poster numbers are presented at 5:30 pm, and posters with even poster numbers are presented at 6:15 pm.
Number: PBG008
Abstract ID:480
Candidate for Awards:None |
