María Elena Galindo-Tovar

Some aspects of avocado (Persea americana Mill.) diversity and domestication in Mesoamerica

Avocado (Persea americana Mill.) is a major tropical fruit, with origin in Mesoamerica area. Avocado is a very variable species and taxonomically poorly understood. It has been grown in the Neotropics since ancient times and it seems that the domestication of this tree in Mesoamerica started before other annual crops. In addition, it seems that much of avocado diversity as ecological differences, were originated as a result of cultural diversity. In view of this, avocado represents an interesting model to study domestication of tropical trees and develop forest management and germplasm conservation strategies. At present time, P. americana is worldwide distributed with Mexico as the main producer. However, there are some aspects on the origin, dispersion, and domestication of the species that remain to be answered. In this paper, we present a survey of these issues from the earliest to present time in Mesoamerica.ResumenEl aguacate (Persea americana Mill.) es una importante fruta tropical, originaria del área de Mesoamérica. El aguacate es una especie altamente variable y su taxonomía aún no ha sido totalmente definida. El aguacate se ha desarrollado en el Neotrópico desde tiempos antiguos y es posible que su domesticación en Mesoamérica se iniciara antes que otras plantas anuales. También es probable que en gran medida su diversidad se originara además de las diferencias ecológicas, también como resultado de la diversidad cultural. Debido a esto, el aguacate representa un modelo interesante para estudiar procesos de domesticación en árboles tropicales y desarrollar estrategias de manejo en bosques y conservación del germoplasma. Actualmente, P. americana está distribuida en todo el mundo y México es el principal productor. Sin embargo, algunos aspectos del origen, dispersión y domesticación de la especie no han sido clarificados. En este artículo presentamos una investigación sobre estos aspectos, desde tiempos antiguos hasta el presente en el área de Mesoamérica.

The Avocado (Persea Americana, Lauraceae) Crop in Mesoamerica: 10,000 Years of History

ABSTRACT Abstract. The most ancient evidence of the existence of the avocado tree (Persea americana, Lauraceae) in Mesoamerica is about 10,000 years ago in Coaxcatlan, Puebla (Mexico). Since then, the history of the avocado has been preserved and recorded in Mesoamerica, the domestication center for the species, and in northern South America, where pre-Hispanic Mesoamerican cultures dispersed it. In colonial times, the Spanish valued the avocado fruit highly and documented it in numerous texts. Since then, the avocado tree has been introduced into places where the climate is appropriate for its cultivation. Avocado is now the fourth most important tropical fruit in the world, and Mexico is the main producer, with more than one million metric tons produced in 2005. Resumen. La evidencia más antigua de la presencia del aguacate (Persea americana, Lauraceae) en Mesoamérica es de hace 10,000 años, en Coaxcatlán, Puebla (México). Desde entonces, la historia del aguacate ha sido documentada en Mesoamérica, su centro de domesticación, y en el norte de Sudamérica, en donde fue dispersado por las culturas que habitaron en Mesoamérica en la época pre-Hispánica. En el tiempo de la Colonia, los españoles apreciaron esta fruta y la documentaron en numerosos textos. Desde entonces el aguacate ha sido introducido en los lugares donde el clima es apropiado para su desarrollo. Actualmente el aguacate es la cuarta fruta tropical más importante en el mundo y México es el principal productor con más de un millón de toneladas métricas producidas en el año 2005.

An Ornamental Heliconias Crop as a Reservoir of the Native Myrmecofauna: A case of Tropical Horticulture in Central Veracruz, Mexico

Abstract. Currently there is an increase in tropical crops dedicated to ornamental horticulture. This study is the first assessment of the role of a Heliconia spp. ornamental plant cultivation in Mexico as habitat for insect biodiversity conservation, using ant assemblages as bioindicators. A total of 9,022 ant workers belonging to seven subfamilies, 14 tribes, 27 genera, and 55 species was captured. Conversion of native vegetation to tropical ornamental agriculture affects the richness, diversity and dominance of ants, but not assemblages’ composition. The importance of species composition as a predictor parameter of functional changes in the landscape is highlighted.

Alpha Diversity of the Myrmecofauna of the Natural Protected Area Metlac from Fortin, Veracruz, Mexico

Abstract. Although the State of Veracruz is a megadiverse entity, it has the highest annual deforestation rates. Protected natural areas are considered strategic to preserve local biodiversity. In this paper, composition and alpha diversity of ant assemblages were analyzed in the natural protected area ‘Metlac’ near Fortin, Veracruz, Mexico. Sampling was conducted at four transects using baited pitfall traps and hand-collection. In total 3,204 ant workers belonging to 36 species, 21 genera, 12 tribes, and seven subfamilies were collected. The average alpha diversity was 16 species and no significant differences between recorded richness in each transect were found. Average sampling completeness was above 80%. Locally, Solenopsis geminata and Nylanderia steinheili dominate the epigeous and shrub strata due probably to their biological, behavioral and ecological plasticity that allows them to easily adapt to disturbed environments. This paper shows that for the small area sampled, the relict of tropical semi-evergreen forest is of great biological value despite heavy human intervention and the space-geographic context in which it is found.

Variación Temporal y Espacial de la Abundancia del Picudo Negro (Rynchophorus palmarum L., Coleoptera: Curculionidae) en Cultivos de Palmas Ornamentales del Centro de Veracruz, México

Resumen. Rhynchonphorus palmarum es una plaga importante en los cultivos de palmas de América puesto que es el vector del nematodo Bursaphelenchus cocophilus causante de la enfermedad del anillo rojo. Debido a que en el centro de Veracruz, México el cultivo de palmas ornamentales es económicamente importante, en este trabajo se analizó su abundancia temporal y espacial. Se reporta por primera vez para el Estado de Veracruz la presencia de R. palmarum asociado a diferentes hospederos. Se encontró que este escarabajo es significativamente abundante en la época lluviosa, lo cual coincide con la sincronía existente entre el ciclo biológico de este escarabajo y las estaciones del año en la región. Se encontró un efecto significativo de la abundancia de Whashingtonia robusta, Livistonona australis, y Dypsis lutescens, con la abundancia de R. palmarum. Nuestros resultados sugieren una preferencia de este insecto por hospedar en Washintonia robusta.

Myrmecofauna from Three Ornamental Agroecosystems with Different Management and a Forest Remnant in Ixtaczoquitlán, Veracruz, Mexico

Abstract. Ornamental horticulture is the commercial exploitation of fresh or preserved species that satisfy the visual tastes of consumers. This report compares the alpha and beta diversity associated with the myrmecofauna of ornamental crops of zingiberaceae, heliconias, and palms with different agricultural management practices and a remnant of forest in Ixtaczoquitlán, Veracruz, Mexico. A total of 965 ant workers belonging to 37 species, 25 genera, 16 tribes, and seven subfamilies was collected. Richness, diversity and evenness of species decreased significantly as the degree of management and agricultural intensification increased. The myrmecofauna composition from the forest was significantly different from that found in the three ornamental crops. The impact of ornamental horticulture on biodiversity may be due to farm management. Excessive use of agrochemicals generates local loss of species diversity. Ornamental crops with low intensification of agricultural management could represent a habitat that offers resources and conditions to different ant guilds and other invertebrates.

New State-Wide Records of Ant Species Collected in Tizatlan Botanical Garden, Tlaxcala, Tlaxcala, Mexico

Summary With the goal of increasing the known myrmecofauna of the state of Tlaxcala, Mexico, specimens were collected in soil and shrub vegetation using different collecting techniques. Seventeen species belonging to 14 genera, 10 tribes and 5 subfamilies are reported for the first time increasing the total number of species known to occur in Tlaxcala to 20, genera to 17, and tribes to 12. These results demonstrate the scarcity of knowledge regarding the myrmecofauna of Tlaxcala state. Systematic sampling is recommended to further the knowledge of species inhabiting this region of Mexico.