Joel Flores

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Verified

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• Ph. D.
• Senior Researcher at Instituto Potosino de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica

Contrario a lo que se podría pensar, los desiertos mantienen una vasta diversidad biológica de la cual depende también una amplia diversidad cultural asociada a estos ambientes. En este capítulo se pone de mani-fiesto la importancia de los desiertos mexicanos desde un contexto eco-lógico que permita entender los factores ambientales que han modelad...

Plant-plant interactions are major determinants of the dynamics of terrestrial ecosystems. There is a long tradition in the study of these interactions, their mechanisms and their consequences using experimental, observational and theoretical approaches. Empirical studies overwhelmingly focus at the level of species pairs or small sets of species....

Resumen. Astrophytum myriostigma es una planta en peligro de extinción que se distribuye en el desierto Chihuahuense al noreste de México; esta se caracteriza por depender de la polinización cruzada por animales para producir frutos y semillas viables. Se ha documentado que las condiciones bióticas y ambientales podrían afectar la dinámica planta-v...

Background: Corn is the most important crop in Mexico, but it can be affected by climate change. Small farmers from arid and semiarid ecosystems mainly use rainfed native landraces with short productive cycles (less than 90 days), which are adapted to elevated temperatures and intense drought. Among these landraces we can find the Norther Conical c...

Las cactáceas presentan una elevada diversidad y son un grupo emblemático del paisaje mexicano. Estas plantas proveen de alimento y refugio a muchos animales de zonas desérticas, pero al descomponerse sus tejidos ofrecen una nueva fuente de recursos para una fauna muy particular, la entomofauna (algunos insectos y otros artrópodos). En este trabajo...

Biotic and environmental conditions could affect the plant-flower visitor dynamics and, consequently, the fruit set in angiosperms. The aims of this study were: 1) to test the effect of microenvironment on activity of flower visitors in a population of Astrophytum myriostigma and 2) to describe the plant-flower visitor network’s structure. Data wer...

Cacti have a wide distribution in the arid and semi-arid ecosystems of Mexico, with environmental variations affecting both physical and physiological seed traits. Herein, the physical and ecophysiological traits of Opuntia streptacantha seeds were evaluated to determine whether they are affected by sites. The seeds from eight sites of O. streptaca...

Background and Aims: Sclerocactus (Cactaceae) is a genus that comprises 27 taxa mainly distributed in the southern United States of America and northern Mexico. Sclerocactus papyracanthus is a very distinctive species due to its flattened papyraceous central spines and its growth form, which is similar to that of some grasses. Its currently known d...

Cactus species are well represented in arid and semiarid environments, where they sometimes even dominate the landscape, forming true cactus forests. In this review, we summarize for the first time the importance of cactus species as a wood resource for a neglected saproxylic (dead wood-dependent) entomofauna associated with decomposing and decompo...

Background: Magnolia pugana populations are declining, in addition, it is estimated that precipitation will decrease by up to 10 % and temperatures will increase (2-4 °C) under the most severe climate change scenario, which may affect germination. Hypotheses: The interaction of increased temperature and decreased water potential reduces and delays...

Estudiar el banco de semillas permite interpretar el estado de sitios perturbados, la respuesta a cambios impulsados por disturbios y la consecuente dinámica de una comunidad vegetal. La heterogeneidad en la formación del banco de semillas está influida por la latencia de estas, su tipo de dispersión y componentes del paisaje como topografía o vege...

Mexican territory is one of the centers of origin and dispersion of the genus Opuntia, where several of its species have been an important plant resource for people in arid and semiarid zones. Opuntia streptacantha is widely distributed in Mexico; however, precise aspects of its geographic distribution and ecological status are still unknown. Here,...

Gypsum soils occur around the world, mainly in arid regions. These harsh environments promote unusual flora with high degrees of endemism. Mexico has extensive gypsum outcrops, but their flora has been poorly studied. However, the highest species richness and endemism are expected to be concentrated in Mexico’s northern dry regions. To promote the...

Background: Percentage and speed of germination are crucial factors that can restrict processes involved in plant succession during ecological restoration. Pre-germination treatments and the effect of storage time on germination percentage and mean germination time were investigated in nine native herbaceous plants of the La Primavera Flora and Fau...

Plant recruitment interactions (i.e., what recruits under what) shape the composition, diversity, and structure of plant communities. Despite the huge body of knowledge on the mechanisms underlying recruitment interactions among species, we still know little about the structure of the recruitment networks emerging in ecological communities. Modelin...

The majority of research on the effects of climate change on maize has concentrated on yield, with only a few studies focusing on seedling emergence and growth. Warmer temperatures predicted as a result of climate change will have an impact on seedlings emergence and growth. An experiment was carried out with induced passive heat with the objective...

The long-term success of forest restoration programs can be improved using climate-based species distribution models (SDMs) to predict which tree species will tolerate climate change. However, as SDMs cannot estimate if species will recruit at these habitats, determining whether their predictions apply to early life-cycle stages of trees is critica...

Plant recruitment interactions (i.e., who recruits under whom) between 3,318 vascular plant species across the globe

Echinocactus platyacanthus is a Mexican cactus highly tolerant to stressful conditions. In recent years it has been increased evidence that plant microbiome is closely linked to plant physiology. We hypothesize that E. platyacanthus responds to environmental changes by altering its physiology, which modifies the bacterial communities in its rhizosp...

Plant species with aerial seed banks are commonly referred to as “serotinous,” an adaptation in which seed release happens in response to an environmental trigger. Individuals of Ariocarpus kotschoubeyanus (Cactaceae), a specially protected species, store some seeds on the plant over 1 year. We examined the seed retention time, the release mechanis...

Vivipary is the germination of seeds within a fruit before they are shed from the parent plant. It occurs in a broad range of habitats and species, including cacti under harsh environmental conditions. Thus, an anatomical differentiation involving high water conduction is expected in viviparous cacti seedlings under water deficit stress. Wide-band...

Background Climate change is expected to alter future rainfall regime in arid zones, which may impact gypsophilous plant diversity components in the Chihuahuan Desert. Aims We investigated the effects of different rainfall timings and amounts on the taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic components of a gypsophilous plant community. Methods We u...

In Mexico, plants with crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) are part of the Mexican culture, have different uses and are even emblematic. Unfortunately, only a small fraction of the Mexican CAM plants has been studied physiologically. For this review, the following questions were considered: What ecophysiological studies have been conducted with CAM...

Recent studies indicate that warming impairs the physiological performance of several plants; however, the warming effect depends on the thermal tolerance of each plant species. The effects of warming on oat ecophysiology and its biomass production have been little studied, although world oat demand is rising. Our aim was to evaluate how induced wa...

1. Mexican territory is one of the centers of origin and dispersion of the genus Opuntia, where several of its species have been an important plant resource for people in arid and semi-arid zones. Opuntia streptacantha is widely distributed in Mexico, however, precise aspects of its geographic distribution and ecological status are still unknown. 2...

RESEARCH ARTICLE| JULY 07 2022 Leaf traits variation of Myriocarpa longipes and Brosimum alicastrum in relation to microclimatic gradient in tropical dolines of Mexico1 Laura Yáñez-Espinosa; Joel Flores; Javier Fortanelli-Martínez; Joab Raziel Quintero-Ruiz; José Arturo De Nova-Vázquez; Humberto Reyes-Hernández The Journal of the Torrey Botanical...

Competition and facilitation are important factors affecting seedling survival. These factors probably affect plant distribution and abundance. Interactions between species relate to phylogeny, in that closely related species are likely to compete more for resources and facilitation is expected between more distantly related species. We tested for...

Mammillaria parkinsonii is a mexican endemic species protected by NOM-059-SEMARNAT-2010 in the special category (Pr), thus the present study is a contribution to the knowledge of the morpho-anatomy, histochemistry and germination of Mammillaria parkinsonii seeds from a population in Tolimán, Querétaro which is characterized by a high diversity of c...

Opuntia species from arid and semiarid environments have dormant seeds. The objective of this study was to evaluate how the soil influences seed germination of the cactus O. dejecta. We hypothesized that O. dejecta seeds in the basaltic rocky soil will show lower seed germination than seeds in a site with alluvial soil from the coastal plain. An ex...

Mammillaria parkinsonii is a mexican endemic species protected by NOM-059-SEMARNAT-2010 in the special category (Pr), thus the present study is a contribution to the knowledge of the morpho-anatomy, histochemistry and germination of Mammillaria parkinsonii seeds from a population in Tolimán, Querétaro which is characterized by a high diversity of c...

Opuntia spp. are cacti with high ecological, economic and conservation interest in semiarid environments, particularly in Mexico. We conducted a systematic search of the existing peer-reviewed literature about the state of knowledge of pollination ecology on these plants. We documented the most studied Opuntia species worldwide with an emphasis on...

An integrative geographical climatology is presented to objectively identify regional patterns of climate variability within the mid-low Nazas-Aguanaval basin within the States of Durango and Coahuila in Central Northern Mexico, using decadal mean values for maximum and minimum temperature, as well as monthly precipitation during the seven periods...

We evaluated the diversity and ecological network structure of insects associated with Cylindropuntia imbricata, a common cactus distributed throughout the Mexican high plateau (southern Chihuahuan desert). We performed a field assay where we randomly selected adult individuals of C. imbricata to analyze the effect of induced water stress on cacti....

Background: Populus luziarum and P. primaveralepensis are endemic species of western Mexico; growing in riparian forests they are critically endangered. The best way to conserve their seeds is unknown, which could be limiting for their conservation. Hypothesis: The germinability of both subtropical species is like that of boreal and template Salic...

We carried out two experiments to test the effect of temperature increase and distance to the edge of remnant vegetation on seedling emergence, speed of seedling emergence, and seedling species diversity from Tamaulipan thornscrub. We carried out one experiment during the dry period, and a second one in the rainfall season. For both experiments, we...

Cactus species are key components in American deserts and have a high socioeconomic value. Climate change exerts a threat to biodiversity, structure and functioning within deserts and many cactus species are predicted to face extinction because of climate change. Defining which plant species could tolerate climate change effects in desert ecosystem...

Salvia circinnata Cav. (Syn. S. amarissima Ortega), Lamiaceae, is a Mexican medicinal plant used in traditional medicine for the treatment of gastrointestinal illness, cancer, and diabetes. Samples of ten natural populations were analyzed by application of a systematic approach which involved the combination of DNA barcoding, GC–MS, HPLC–DAD, and H...

One of the riskiest stages in the reproduction of cactus is the germination of seeds. Although evidence indicates the relevance of the seed-associated microbiome during this stage, little is known about its structure and function. In this work, we explore the diversity of the seed-associated microbiome of cactus, their role in the germination and p...

Cactus seeds have developed adaptations to survive with high temperatures and low soil moisture in their habitats. We studied the effect of the combination of four water potentials (0, −0.2, −0.4 and −0.6 MPa) and two temperatures (25°C and 35°C) on germination and seedling mass of four endemic Leptocereus species from Cuba. There were two semi‐ari...

Background and aims – The reproductive characteristics of sympatric Cactaceae are important because they help to understand interfering or facilitating mechanisms that allow their coexistence. Globose Cactaceae show melittophily flowers that may be attractive to a shared set of pollinators, and if the flowering events are not overlapping, flower re...

The distribution of the endangered species Dioon edule is in populations scattered throughout the Sierra Madre Oriental in San Luis Potosí, Mexico. Its habitat is tropical dry forests at lower elevations and oak forests at higher elevations, mainly disturbed by anthropic activities. We determined and analyzed nine populations’ demographic structure...

The regeneration niche concept states that plant species only occur in habitats where the environmental conditions allow their recruitment. This study focuses on this concept and proposes a novel approach for modelling and experimentally validating the distribution of suitable habitats for the recruitment of invasive plants under the current and fu...

Key message The epiphyte Tillandsia recurvata modifies the anatomy of the xylem, phloem and periderm of its host Prosopis laevigata, these modifications affect water flux and photosynthetic activity in this host. Abstract The relationships between epiphytes and host plants are commensal interactions, where epiphytes obtain support to growth withou...

Host traits partly determine the abundance and species richness of epiphytes in tropical forests. It has been proposed that older trees with rough bark and evergreens often house more individuals and more epiphytic species than those with thin, smooth, and peeling bark, which harbor few epiphytes. We hypothesize (i) that epiphytes are more abundant...

Antecedentes: La distribución de plantas depende de dispersores que transportan semillas a hábitats adecuados y de plantas que faciliten o inhiban germinación y establecimiento. Es importante conocer cómo estos factores influyen en la distribución de la vegetación y contemplar esta información en planes de manejo. Hipótesis: Las semillas y plántula...

We studied two Agave species differing in microhabitat; when adult, A. striata is light-tolerant and A. salmiana is drought-tolerant. However, both species establish under nurse plants. The aim of this work was to investigate the ecophysiological mechanisms of these two species to tolerate different shade and water conditions at the seedling stage....

In riparian forests, light and water are two important factors for plant acclimation to different environments. We evaluated the effect of different light and irrigation regimes on the effective quantum yield of photosystem II (фPSII), the maximum quantum efficiency of photosystem II (Fv/Fm), and the electron transfer rate (ETR) of Magnolia pugana...

Background: Cactaceae is the fifth taxonomic group with the highest proportion of threatened species. One way to contribute to the preservation of this family is to understand the processes that promote seed germination. Questions: How common is dormancy and seed banks in Cactaceae? Are there general patterns in cacti germination response to tempe...

Background: In semiarid ecosystems, many plant species are tolerant to drought. However, increased aridity as a result of climatic change could modify the capacity of germination and establishment. Hypothesis: Under drought conditions, small-seeded species will tend to germinate in higher proportions than large-seeded species because the former ha...

Ephedra is one of the largest genera of the Ephedraceae family, which is distributed in arid and semiarid regions of the world. In the traditional medicine from several countries some species from the genus are commonly used to treat asthma, cold, flu, chills, fever, headache, nasal congestion, and cough. The chemical constituents of Ephedra specie...

Nama aff. stenophylla plants grow on mining waste abandoned 100 years ago, exposed to high concentrations of heavy metals. Accumulation of heavy metals in plant biomass has been related to the phyto-accessible fractions of these, so we assessed the effect of those heavy metals in different concentrations on the germination and development of seedli...

We explore whether percentage of seed germination and rate are affected by the presence of seeds from other species and if this is related to phylogeny. Assuming that closely related species might inhibit germination as a means to avoid competition, we tested germination in Petri dishes of seeds of one species and a combination of that one species...

Previous studies found that plant communities on infertile soils are relatively resistant to climatic variation due to stress tolerance adaptations. However, the species assemblies in gypsum soil habitats require further investigation. Thus, we considered the following questions. (1) Do harsher arid conditions determine the characteristics of the s...

Global warming may increase the danger of local extinction for plant species with low tolerance to high temperatures. Tillandsia recurvata is a bromeliad epiphyte native to semiarid ecosystems of America. In North-Central Mexico, Prosopis laevigata (mesquite) is the main phorophyte of T. recurvata. Climate change models indicate that temperature wi...

Vivipary implies that seeds germinate inside the fruit still attached to the mother plant. Vivipary may constitute an adaptive trait, which may allow the quick establishment of seedlings in harsh environments. The Bromeliaceae includes ca. 3,140 species in many ecosystems, but vivipary appears to be infrequent in bromeliad epiphytes. In this resear...

Agave species are a key component of the structure vegetation in the American drylands and have various anthropogenic uses. Agave angustifolia subsp. tequilana is an economically and culturally important Mexican species. Negative impacts on biodiversity are expected as a consequence of global warming; however, it has been documented that some Agave...

La extensión territorial de San Luis Potosí represen-ta 3.12% de la superficie total nacional. Dentro de su territorio se encuentran 12 tipos de vegeta-ción, que corresponden a tres ecosistemas: zonas áridas y semiáridas, zona templada-fría y zona tropical (hú-meda, subhúmeda y seca), mismos que son resultado de las variaciones climáticas y fisiogr...

La diversidad biológica constituye el componente más importante del capital natural del estado. Mediante ella se configuran y mantienen múltiples procesos que resultan en beneficios para la sociedad, como lo son la provisión de alimentos, la regulación del clima, el reciclaje de nutrientes e incluso la recreación. En esta sección se abordan las dif...

Antecedentes: Los estudios sobre los patrones de floración, sincronía floral y éxito reproductivo en cactáceas son incipientes y de muchas especies se desconoce prácticamente su biología reproductiva como ocurre con la cactácea globosa Neolloydia conoidea. Preguntas: ¿Cómo es el patrón de floración a nivel poblacional? ¿Cómo es la sincronía floral...

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of mucilage and its removal, as well as phytohormones [gibberellic acid (GA3) and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA)] in light and in darkness on germination of five cactus species (Coryphanta maiz-tablasensis, Echinocactus platyacanthus, Ferocactus latispinus, Ferocactus pilosus and Stenocereus queretaroens...

Una forma de probar los efectos del cambio ambiental sobre las comunidades vegetales es a través de la manipulación experimental que refleje escenarios climáticos futuros. Los bancos de semillas son el futuro potencial de la comunidad vegetal, sin embargo, son poco estudiados. En el presente estudio, probamos el efecto del incremento en la temperat...

El aumento en la temperatura y el efecto de borde son dos de las variables que pueden afectar la dinámica de las comunidades vegetales de manera negativa. Una de las formas de explorar estos efectos es con los bancos de semillas, ya que virtualmente estos son las generaciones futuras de las comunidades vegetales. En este estudio, probamos el efecto...

We investigated the physiological responses of two epiphytic orchids under three light regimes of 20, 50, and 70% of total daily radiation under drought and rewatering conditions. Stanhopea tigrina was the one more affected because it exhibited strong photoinhibition and reduction of both electron transport rate and nocturnal acidity under drought...

Interest in invasive species has increased around the world over the last several decades. In Mexico, studies on invasive species date as early as 1939 and the number of publications has increased considerably in recent decades. However, to our knowledge, the analysis of information gaps and research priorities is lacking. Therefore, it is necessar...

LA BIODIVERSIDAD EN SAN LUIS POTOSÍ: DIAGNÓSTICO Y PERSPECTIVAS DE SU ESTUDIO DE ESTADO. 1. Guillermo Martínez de la Vega, 2. Joel David Flores Rivas 1.UASLP., 2. IPICyT. RESUMEN “La biodiversidad de San Luis Potosí: estudio de estado” se realizó de marzo 2011 a mayo 2019 por convenio entre la CONABIO, el Gobierno Estatal, Instituciones académicas...

“La biodiversidad de San Luis Potosí: estudio de estado” se realizó de marzo 2011 a mayo 2019 por convenio entre la CONABIO, el Gobierno Estatal, Instituciones académicas y ONGs; colaboraron un coordinador nacional, 4 coordinadores estatales (de la CONABIO), 4 coordinadores locales de enlace (SLP) y 139 autores de 42 instituciones. La obra está lis...

Cylindropuntia imbricata is a common cactus species from North American deserts that has extrafloral nectaries (EFNs). We assessed: (i) the anatomical structure of the EFNs of C. imbricata to determine whether they are vascularized or not, and (ii) whether water availability in the soil and soil temperature are related to the abundance of ants visi...

Dolines are karst depressions whose environmental and climatic characteristics in tropical regions are not well known. By measuring and analyzing different components of the microclimate in two dolines located in Tamasopo, Mexico, we aim to contribute to the understanding of the climatic conditions in these formations. The variables analyzed includ...

We evaluated several mechanisms that enable saplings of Yucca filifera (Chabaud) to endure water shortage. Saplings were exposed to water shortage and subsequent rewatering inside a greenhouse. The response variables were maximum quantum efficiency (Fv/Fm), effective quantum yield of photosystem II (PSII), nonphotochemical quenching (NPQ), electron...

p> Background. Plant morphology is the expression of a set of characteristics in response to environmental conditions and therefore to the availability of resources. Questions. Are the populations of Turnera diffusa morphologically different due to climatic factors? Species studied. Turnera diffusa , known as “damiana”. Study site and dates. Jau...

p> Background: Climate change will increase temperature and reduce rainfall across temperate forests of Mexico. This can alter tree establishment dynamics within forest and in neighbouring man-made clearings. Hypotheses: Climate change will reduce emergence and survival of tree seedlings, and surviving plants will display functional responses matc...

El incremento en las temperaturas puede afectar de forma positiva o negativa la germinación. Se estima que la temperatura se incrementó en las últimas décadas 0.6 °C y se espera que para el año 2099 aumente entre 1.5 y 4.7 °C. El objetivo del presente trabajo fue evaluar la germinación de semillas de siete procedencias de Acacia farnesiana y tres d...

Biodiversity positively relates with the provisioning of ecosystem services and preserving areas with elevated diversity of highly-functional species could help to ensure human well-being. Most studies addressed to make these decisions use maps relying on species occurrences, where sites containing several species are proposed as priority conservat...

We assessed inter-seasonal dynamics of seed banks, dormancy and seed germination in three endemic Chihuahuan Desert succulent species, under simulated soil warming conditions. Hexagonal open top-chambers (OTCs) were used to increase soil temperature. Seeds of Echinocactus platyacanthus (Cactaceae), Yucca filifera and Agave striata (Asparagaceae) we...

Seedling establishment in degraded Oak forests is often hampered by harsh soil conditions, which may take decades to recover. Translocating the top soil from old-growth healthy forests to severely impaired sites can improve environmental conditions and eventually trigger self-repairing forest succession. We tested the potential of this strategy to...

Most forests of the Earth have been affected by human activities and this can alter the plant-animal interactions on which depend the functional integrity of these ecosystems. In this study, we assessed the relationships between acorn removal rates and the richness and abundance of granivorous vertebrates along a forest-edge-clearing gradient. We a...

Key message: In Mexican oaks, germination increases with acorn fresh weight across oak species. Within species, these relationships are stronger in red oaks than in white oaks. In both oak groups, fresh weight of acorns increases with their dry biomass. Context: Mexican oaks are phylogenetically grouped in red and white oaks. White oaks produce hea...

Agave victoriae-reginae is an endemic species from Chihuahuan Desert which grows on canyon walls. It has flattened seeds that can be dispersed during episodic flood events. This study was focused on examining possible morphological and anatomical adaptations which promote seed hydro-dispersion. A morphological and anatomical seed analysis by scanni...

Background and aims – Large cotyledonary reserves are plant adaptations to tolerate elevated herbivory during the recruitment phase. Oak seedlings have large cotyledons that promote epicotyl resprouting after it is browsed by herbivores. Several studies indicated that browsing can induce multiple stem resprouting, but these data are usually anecdot...

Background and aims – Large cotyledonary reserves are plant adaptations to tolerate elevated herbivory during the recruitment phase. Oak seedlings have large cotyledons that promote epicotyl resprouting after it is browsed by herbivores. Several studies indicated that browsing can induce multiple stem resprouting, but these data are usually anecdot...

The nurse-protégé interaction involves benefits for the protected species by the reduction in the abiotic stress intensity. Nurse plants, however, could affect other biotic interactions by reducing that natural benefit. Studies about plant-plant-animal interaction assume that plants can recover from and/or avoid granivory when they grow under highe...

Reliable calculations of carbon stocks in forest ecosystems are crucial for proper implementation of global warming mitigation policies. Accurate estimations depend upon applying the correct factor of carbon (C) concentration for different forest species and tissues instead of the often assumed 50% carbon content. Despite the high forest species ri...

We determined the seasonal ecophysiological performance under perennial plants and under high solar radiation for adult individuals from the ‘living rock’ cactus Ariocarpus kotschoubeyanus, which occurs equally under nurse plants and in open spaces. We evaluated the effective quantum yield of photosystem II (ΦPSII) and the dissipation of thermal en...

Interactions between temperature and moisture on seed germination are not clearly understood. We hypothesized that high temperatures and low moisture would inhibit seed germination. We analyzed germination under four temperatures (18–36 °C) and under five water limiting conditions, using Polyethylene glycol (PEG) 6000 (0.0–1.0 MPa) for eight domina...

Recruitment from seeds is among the most vulnerable stage for plants as global temperatures change. While germination is the means by which the vast majority of the world's flora regenerate naturally, a framework for accurately predicting which species are at greatest risk of germination failure during environmental perturbation is lacking. Taking...