How does the composition, structure, and diversity of woody vegetation change along an altitudinal gradient in Álamos, Sonora?

Increased climatic variability over recent decades threatens the dynamic balance of ecosystems, driving shifts in species distributions and plant community structure. One way to better understand these impacts is through the study of vegetation across elevational gradients, where floristic similarity or dissimilarity between adjacent ecosystems reveals how plant communities respond to changes in climate and soil conditions.

This project aims to analyze how the composition, structure, and diversity of woody vegetation vary in response to elevation, temperature, and soil properties along a gradient ranging from 350 to 1350 meters above sea level. The study area spans from tropical dry forest at lower elevations to oak-pine forest in the higher elevations of the Monte Mojino Reserve (ReMM), located northeast of Álamos, Sonora.

Vegetation surveys will be conducted, and temperature data will be collected using HOBO data loggers in plots established at approximately every 50-meter interval along the elevation gradient. This research will provide a baseline for detecting future shifts in vegetation due to climate change and will support the development of management strategies for the various vegetation types found within the Reserve.