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Abstract
Although the Sonoran Desert does not have the highest plant species richness, it has been documented with the highest growth form diversity from the North American deserts. It is not known if this high growth form diversity could also harbor a high functional diversity. In this study we characterize the ecophysiological functional traits of photosynthetic capacity, stomatal conductance, transpiration and resource use efficiency (water and nitrogen), as well as morphological and structural traits of specific leaf area and nitrogen content in 52 species that inhabit the arid and semiarid Central Region of Sonora. For all species and analyzed traits, we found a larger range of values compared to those reported from a recent world survey, which represent a very high functional diversity. Such large range and amplitude in functional trait values has not been reported for other regions of the world. This study presents evidence of the high functional diversity of the Sonoran Desert plants waiting to be described and documented.
Parent Publication
Keywords
Madrean Archipelago,
Sky Islands,
southwestern United States,
northern Mexico,
natural environment,
fauna,
flora,
research,
management,
biodiversity,
climate change
Citation
Hinojo, Cesar Hinojo; Castellanos, Alejandro E.; Sotelo, Jose M. Llano. 2013. Wide ranges of functional traits in the flora from the central region of Sonora: A diversity to be explored. In: Gottfried, Gerald J.; Ffolliott, Peter F.; Gebow, Brooke S.; Eskew, Lane G.; Collins, Loa C. Merging science and management in a rapidly changing world: Biodiversity and management of the Madrean Archipelago III and 7th Conference on Research and Resource Management in the Southwestern Deserts; 2012 May 1-5; Tucson, AZ. Proceedings. RMRS-P-67. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. p. 212-217.
