Regionalización de la provincia del Desierto Chihuahuense con base en la distribución de especies de <em>Dalea</em> (Fabaceae)

Abstract

Background: Dalea is endemic to the Americas and has a wide distribution in the Chihuahuan Desert province, its species are associated with xeric scrub, oak forest, and coniferous forest. Hypothesis: Dalea species function as a surrogate of the flora and reinforce the regionalization proposals for this province. Study site and research period: Chihuahuan Desert province, August 2020 to July 2022. Methods: A database was generated from herbarium specimens. The species richness analysis was obtained using a 1 × 1° grid. Weighted endemism (WE) and corrected weighted endemism (CWE) were analyzed and estimated. For regionalization, species replacement was calculated and the UPGMA grouping method was applied. The resulting groups were checked against the published ecoregions to determine the biotic components of the environmental characterization. Results: 3,061 records were obtained, representing 77 species, of which 33 are endemics to the study area. The northwestern and southeastern parts of the province had the highest species richness. The central and northern parts had the highest endemic species richness. The WE analysis showed three cells located in the center of the study area, while the CWE recovered three cells at the south of the province. Two large main subprovinces are recognized, these nesting smaller area groups (districts). The districts mostly correspond to the ecoregions of the Chihuahuan Desert, Scrub of the Central Plateau, and Dry forests of the Bajío. Conclusions: Dalea was a surrogate for the flora and reinforced the regionalization proposals for this province.