Prosopis glandulosa Torr. A Multipurpose Tree from Arid and Semiarid Lands of Mexico

Abstract

In the present study the multipurpose characterization of the mesquite scrub of the northeast of Mexico was carried out and its productive potential for wood was evaluated. Ten sampling sites were randomly selected based on cartographic material where mesquite was the dominant species. In each one of the sites the minimum area of sampling was determined, for the evaluation of the arboreal and shrub layers. In each area all individuals of the present species were registered, measuring its height and crown projection for the determination of the parameters of density, canopy, frequency and importance value for each species. The physiognomy of the studied sites was dominated by shrub and arboreal plants where the most outstanding vegetation by its height, density and cover was Prosopis glandulosa. The total floral diversity found was 160 taxa belonging to 46 families. The most common species in addition to P. glandulosa were Ruellia nudiflora, Opuntia leptocaulis, Celtis pallida, Opuntia engelmannii, Dyschoriste decumbens, Acacia rigidula, Castela texana, Karwinskia humboldtiana, Ziziphus obtusifolia, Acleisanthes obtusa and Tridens muticus. The accumulated average cover layer was 203.20%, being the shrub layer with greatest vegetative cover with 85.6%. The greatest importance values (IV)in the shrub and arboreal layers for P. glandulosa were 11.12 and 80.31% respectively. In the arboreal layer, P. glandulosa reached the greater percentage in all the parameters, dominating completely the stratum. The wood production average plant^-1 and ha^-1 was 0.0929 m³ and 38.25 m³ respectively. The estimation of the volume of wood had a strong relationship with the variables of basal diameter and crown projection.