A substantially rich diversity of the world’s recorded useful plants (UPs) is captured within the... more A substantially rich diversity of the world’s recorded useful plants (UPs) is captured within the Millennium Seed Bank collection hosted by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, at Wakehurst, UK with 13,598 species (34%) belonging to 3696 genera and 325 families. This constitutes just over half of the total accessions and one third of the species and covers all 9 continents, 8 realms, 14 biomes, 34 biodiversity hotspots and 175 countries. The most common beneficial use category within the captured diversity is medicinal, then species with environmental, material, and human food value. About 86% of conserved UP species have a ‘Least Concern’ conservation status but 8% are identified as globally threatened. The advantages of mutual, continued, and long-term partnership (e.g., Mexico) are showcased when conserving plants important for local communities and addressing conservation challenges beyond seed banking. However, the geographic coverage suffers from a lack of partnerships with some pa...
Background Genetic diversity is fundamental for the survival of species. In particular, in a clim... more Background Genetic diversity is fundamental for the survival of species. In particular, in a climate change scenario, it is crucial that populations maintain genetic diversity so they can adapt to novel environmental conditions. Genetic diversity in wild agaves is usually high, with low genetic differentiation among populations, in part maintained by the agave pollinators such as the nectarivorous bats. In cultivated agaves, patterns of genetic diversity vary according to the intensity of use, management, and domestication stage. In Agave tequilana Weber var. azul (A. tequilana thereafter), the plant used for tequila production, clonal propagation has been strongly encouraged. These practices may lead to a reduction in genetic diversity. Methods We studied the diversity patterns with genome-wide SNPs, using restriction site associated DNA sequencing in cultivated samples of A. tequilana from three sites of Jalisco, Mexico. For one locality, seeds were collected and germinated in a g...
Tip revista especializada en ciencias químico-biológicas, Feb 1, 2019
La domesticación de plantas y animales permite estudiar diferentes procesos evolutivos, como la s... more La domesticación de plantas y animales permite estudiar diferentes procesos evolutivos, como la selección, adaptación y especiación. En este artículo se describen avances recientes en el estudio de las calabazas, las cuales constituyen el género Cucurbita (Cucurbitaceae) siendo un grupo de plantas herbáceas americanas que incluyen entre 12 y 15 especies. Cucurbita ha tenido seis eventos de domesticación, de los cuales cuatro sucedieron en México. Este es un género relativamente reciente, que surgió en Norte América hace 16 millones de años y sus especies cultivadas mantienen una alta variación genética; Cucurbita pepo es la especie que presenta mayor variación genética,variación asociada a dos domesticaciones independientes, una en el norte de México, y otra en el Sureste de los Estados Unidos. En otra especie, Cucurbita argyrosperma, sus poblaciones de la Península de Yucatán, representan una poza genética diferenciada del resto de la especie. El estudio del genoma de C. argyrosperma y taxa cercanos ha revelado las regiones de su genoma asociadas a la domesticación. Las poblaciones de las especies de este género representan una fuente de importantes recursos genéticos frente al cambio climático y constituyen un buen sistema para el estudio de la domesticación y de diferentes procesos evolutivos.
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY
Latin American and Caribbean Bulletin of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, 2009
The essential oil of the aerial parts of Lippia graveolens HBK (Verbenaceae) was examined by GC a... more The essential oil of the aerial parts of Lippia graveolens HBK (Verbenaceae) was examined by GC and GC-MS. Nine constituents were identified. Carvacrol, α-terpinyl acetate, m-cymene, thymol and β-pinene were found to be the major components. The oil ...
The essential oil of the aerial parts of Lantana achyranthifolia Desf. (Verbenaceae) was examined... more The essential oil of the aerial parts of Lantana achyranthifolia Desf. (Verbenaceae) was examined by GC and GC-MS. Eighteen constituents were identified. Carvacrol, 1,8-cineole, isocaryophyllene, -bisabolene and ␣-bisabolol were found to be the major components. The oil exhibited antibacterial activity against fourteen Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.
Hummingbirds represent an avian family restricted to the Americas that feeds mainly on nectar obt... more Hummingbirds represent an avian family restricted to the Americas that feeds mainly on nectar obtained from ornithophilous plants. In North America (Mexico-USA-Canada), 58 species have been reported out of the 330 total hummingbird species, all of them occurring in Mexico. In this work we analyzed the distribution of hummingbirds in relation to the coverage of the natural protected area system in Mexico using a complementarity analysis to assess the minimum set of areas needed to protect all species. We focused our search mainly to biosphere reserves, as these areas have complete bird lists. Six biosphere reserves included 93% of the hummingbird species. Four species were not included in any biosphere reserve or other natural protected area. To preserve those species, three important bird areas (AICAs as they are known in Spanish) are needed. With these nine areas, all hummingbird species are included. Hummingbird distributions can be classified in six groups that distribute following the major biogeographic regions described for Mexico, including groups using; (1) the main mountain ranges, (2) the Pacific tropical dry forests, (3) the Gulf of Mexico slopes with tropical dry forest, (4) the humid tropical forest in southern Mexico, and both (5) Yucatan and (6) Baja California peninsulas.
En este trabajo, se presenta una revisión acerca de los estudios realizados por nuestro grupo de ... more En este trabajo, se presenta una revisión acerca de los estudios realizados por nuestro grupo de trabajo, enfocados a la generación de conocimiento sobre la fitoquímica y diferentes actividades biológicas de 10 especies vegetales empleadas en la medicina tradicional en el Valle de Tehuacán-Cuicatlán, Puebla. Las propiedades biológicas de los extractos, fracciones, compuestos puros y aceites esenciales, incluyeron, según el caso: la actividad antibacteriana, antifúngica, antioxidante, fotoprotectora, hipoglucemiante y antiinflamatoria. Los resultados obtenidos al evaluar las diferentes propiedades biológicas de las plantas indican una estrecha relación entre la fitoquímica, la farmacognosia y el uso de la planta en la medicina tradicional de las especies utilizadas en esta región del país.
ABSTRACT In this paper, we present a bioclimatic approach to (1) differentiate populations of the... more ABSTRACT In this paper, we present a bioclimatic approach to (1) differentiate populations of the endemic Mexican columnar cactus Neobuxbaumia tetetzo within the Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Valley and (2) evaluate, under two possible future scenarios (years 2050 and 2080), the effects of climate change on the total species distribution in this area, as well as on groups of populations defined by their bioclimatic models. Four population groups were identified, and principal component analysis showed that the variables that explained more than 40% of the climatic variation were precipitation of the wettest quarter and temperature seasonality. Bioclimatic models under the different scenarios indicated that when the overall species distribution was analyzed, this area will probably have contracted by 19.5% by the year 2050 and 47.05% by the year 2080, whereas the separate analysis of population groups projected area contractions of 18.4% by the year 2050 and 51.95% by the year 2080. These results demonstrate the importance of exploring new approaches for evaluating and predicting current and future distribution of plant species.
Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution, Dec 19, 2008
Page 1. RESEARCH ARTICLE The effects of climate change on the geographic distribution of Mexican ... more Page 1. RESEARCH ARTICLE The effects of climate change on the geographic distribution of Mexican wild relatives of domesticated Cucurbitaceae Rafael Lira Æ Oswaldo Téllez Æ Patricia Dávila Received: 21 July 2008 / Accepted ...
Plant management types currently practiced in the Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Valley, México, were documen... more Plant management types currently practiced in the Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Valley, México, were documented and analyzed based on ethnobotanical studies conducted in 13 villages with six indigenous groups and Mestizo people. The information was organized in a data base, and then detailed and guided to a consensus through six workshops carried out by ethnobotanists working in the area. From a total of 1,608 useful plant species, we identified 610 with at least one management type other than simple gathering. Managed species are mainly used as food, fodder, medicinal, and ornamental, and they belong to 101 plant families. The higher species numbers were recorded in Cactaceae, Asteraceae, Fabaceae, Crassulaceae, and Agavaceae. Nearly 60% of the managed species are native to the region and the rest are introduced from other regions of Mexico and the world. In total, 400 species are ex situ managed out of their natural environments through seed sowing and/or planting their vegetative propagules or entire young plants; 373 species are in situ managed in their natural habitats as follows: all these species are deliberately left standing during vegetation clearance, 76 species are also enhanced intentionally favoring their abundance through modifications of their habitat, or directly by planting their propagules, and 51 receive protection through regulations, particular strategies of extraction, and actions against herbivores, competitors, freezing, radiation, and drought. Most management forms involve artificial selection at different intensity levels. The information allows visualizing co-occurrence of incipient and advanced forms of management at different intensity levels within and among species, which helps to postulate testable hypotheses on factors influencing plant management and domestication in an important area for studying the origins of agriculture. Manejo de plantas en el Valle de Tehuacán-Cuicatlán, México. Se documentaron los diferentes tipos de manejo de plantas que practican actualmente los pobladores del Valle de Tehuacán-Cuicatlán, México. El análisis se basa en estudios etnobotánicos llevados a cabo en 13 comunidades campesinas con seis grupos indígenas y poblados mestizos. La información se organizó en una base de datos, la cual posteriormente se detalló y se consensó a través de seis talleres en los que participaron los etnobotánicos trabajando en la región y cuyos trabajos son la base de esta investigación. De un total de 1,608 especies de plantas útiles, identificamos 610 con al menos un tipo de manejo distinto a la recolección simple. Las especies
Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution, Aug 20, 2016
The efficient storage and germination of seeds underpin the effective use of plants for livelihoo... more The efficient storage and germination of seeds underpin the effective use of plants for livelihoods and sustainable development. A total of 204 wild species useful for local communities of the Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Valley were collected and stored in seed banks in country for long term conservation, and 66 % (i.e., 134) duplicated in the U.K., as an effective means of ex situ conservation. Of the 204 species, 147 (122 of which also duplicated in the U.K.) were previously listed as useful plants in the ethnofloristic inventory of the Valley. Based on literature surveys, we found that one of the major impediments to the use of stored seeds of wild species is the lack of knowledge of how to germinate the seed. In detailed studies, we found that seeds of 18 useful plant species from 10 different families germinated readily and could be propagated. In contrast, four species (Actinocheita filicina, Bursera submoniliformis, Karwinskia mollis and Lippia graveolens) produced dormant seeds and therefore further studies are needed before their use can be maximised in large scale propagation programmes in support of conservation and livelihoods. Overall, this large-scale study on useful wild plant species in Mexico confirms that conventional seed banking can effectively support sustainable development and livelihood programmes.
PremiseDomestication of plant species results in phenotypic modifications and changes in biotic i... more PremiseDomestication of plant species results in phenotypic modifications and changes in biotic interactions. Most studies have compared antagonistic plant‐herbivore interactions of domesticated plants and their wild relatives, but little attention has been given to how domestication influences plant‐pollinator interactions. Floral attributes and interactions of floral visitors were compared between sister taxa of the genus Cucurbita (Cucurbitaceae), the domesticated C. moschata, C. argyrosperma ssp. argyrosperma and its wild progenitor C. argyrosperma ssp. sororia in the place of origin.MethodsWe conducted univariate and multivariate analyses to compare floral morphological traits and analyzed floral reward (nectar and pollen) quantity and quality between flowers of wild and domesticated Cucurbita taxa. Staminate and pistillate flowers of all three taxa were video recorded, and visitation and behavior of floral visitors were registered and analyzed.ResultsMost floral morphological ...
Homegardens preserve much of the local cultural history and reveal information about plant manage... more Homegardens preserve much of the local cultural history and reveal information about plant management decisions by individual holders. A survey was conducted in the homegardens of San Rafael Coxcatl! an, a rural village in the semi-arid valley of Tehuac! an-Cuicatl! an, Mexico. Two hundred and thirty three different plant species were collected in 30 studied homegardens. 65.7% were ornamental, 29.6% edible and 8.6% were medicinal. Sixty eight percent of the plants were cultivated, while 22% were spared and 10% protected. The results confirm that homegardens are rich in biodiversity and are interesting for ethnobotanical research. Moreover, they need to be considered for in situ conservation and development programs in future.
A substantially rich diversity of the world’s recorded useful plants (UPs) is captured within the... more A substantially rich diversity of the world’s recorded useful plants (UPs) is captured within the Millennium Seed Bank collection hosted by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, at Wakehurst, UK with 13,598 species (34%) belonging to 3696 genera and 325 families. This constitutes just over half of the total accessions and one third of the species and covers all 9 continents, 8 realms, 14 biomes, 34 biodiversity hotspots and 175 countries. The most common beneficial use category within the captured diversity is medicinal, then species with environmental, material, and human food value. About 86% of conserved UP species have a ‘Least Concern’ conservation status but 8% are identified as globally threatened. The advantages of mutual, continued, and long-term partnership (e.g., Mexico) are showcased when conserving plants important for local communities and addressing conservation challenges beyond seed banking. However, the geographic coverage suffers from a lack of partnerships with some pa...
Background Genetic diversity is fundamental for the survival of species. In particular, in a clim... more Background Genetic diversity is fundamental for the survival of species. In particular, in a climate change scenario, it is crucial that populations maintain genetic diversity so they can adapt to novel environmental conditions. Genetic diversity in wild agaves is usually high, with low genetic differentiation among populations, in part maintained by the agave pollinators such as the nectarivorous bats. In cultivated agaves, patterns of genetic diversity vary according to the intensity of use, management, and domestication stage. In Agave tequilana Weber var. azul (A. tequilana thereafter), the plant used for tequila production, clonal propagation has been strongly encouraged. These practices may lead to a reduction in genetic diversity. Methods We studied the diversity patterns with genome-wide SNPs, using restriction site associated DNA sequencing in cultivated samples of A. tequilana from three sites of Jalisco, Mexico. For one locality, seeds were collected and germinated in a g...
Tip revista especializada en ciencias químico-biológicas, Feb 1, 2019
La domesticación de plantas y animales permite estudiar diferentes procesos evolutivos, como la s... more La domesticación de plantas y animales permite estudiar diferentes procesos evolutivos, como la selección, adaptación y especiación. En este artículo se describen avances recientes en el estudio de las calabazas, las cuales constituyen el género Cucurbita (Cucurbitaceae) siendo un grupo de plantas herbáceas americanas que incluyen entre 12 y 15 especies. Cucurbita ha tenido seis eventos de domesticación, de los cuales cuatro sucedieron en México. Este es un género relativamente reciente, que surgió en Norte América hace 16 millones de años y sus especies cultivadas mantienen una alta variación genética; Cucurbita pepo es la especie que presenta mayor variación genética,variación asociada a dos domesticaciones independientes, una en el norte de México, y otra en el Sureste de los Estados Unidos. En otra especie, Cucurbita argyrosperma, sus poblaciones de la Península de Yucatán, representan una poza genética diferenciada del resto de la especie. El estudio del genoma de C. argyrosperma y taxa cercanos ha revelado las regiones de su genoma asociadas a la domesticación. Las poblaciones de las especies de este género representan una fuente de importantes recursos genéticos frente al cambio climático y constituyen un buen sistema para el estudio de la domesticación y de diferentes procesos evolutivos.
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY
Latin American and Caribbean Bulletin of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, 2009
The essential oil of the aerial parts of Lippia graveolens HBK (Verbenaceae) was examined by GC a... more The essential oil of the aerial parts of Lippia graveolens HBK (Verbenaceae) was examined by GC and GC-MS. Nine constituents were identified. Carvacrol, α-terpinyl acetate, m-cymene, thymol and β-pinene were found to be the major components. The oil ...
The essential oil of the aerial parts of Lantana achyranthifolia Desf. (Verbenaceae) was examined... more The essential oil of the aerial parts of Lantana achyranthifolia Desf. (Verbenaceae) was examined by GC and GC-MS. Eighteen constituents were identified. Carvacrol, 1,8-cineole, isocaryophyllene, -bisabolene and ␣-bisabolol were found to be the major components. The oil exhibited antibacterial activity against fourteen Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.
Hummingbirds represent an avian family restricted to the Americas that feeds mainly on nectar obt... more Hummingbirds represent an avian family restricted to the Americas that feeds mainly on nectar obtained from ornithophilous plants. In North America (Mexico-USA-Canada), 58 species have been reported out of the 330 total hummingbird species, all of them occurring in Mexico. In this work we analyzed the distribution of hummingbirds in relation to the coverage of the natural protected area system in Mexico using a complementarity analysis to assess the minimum set of areas needed to protect all species. We focused our search mainly to biosphere reserves, as these areas have complete bird lists. Six biosphere reserves included 93% of the hummingbird species. Four species were not included in any biosphere reserve or other natural protected area. To preserve those species, three important bird areas (AICAs as they are known in Spanish) are needed. With these nine areas, all hummingbird species are included. Hummingbird distributions can be classified in six groups that distribute following the major biogeographic regions described for Mexico, including groups using; (1) the main mountain ranges, (2) the Pacific tropical dry forests, (3) the Gulf of Mexico slopes with tropical dry forest, (4) the humid tropical forest in southern Mexico, and both (5) Yucatan and (6) Baja California peninsulas.
En este trabajo, se presenta una revisión acerca de los estudios realizados por nuestro grupo de ... more En este trabajo, se presenta una revisión acerca de los estudios realizados por nuestro grupo de trabajo, enfocados a la generación de conocimiento sobre la fitoquímica y diferentes actividades biológicas de 10 especies vegetales empleadas en la medicina tradicional en el Valle de Tehuacán-Cuicatlán, Puebla. Las propiedades biológicas de los extractos, fracciones, compuestos puros y aceites esenciales, incluyeron, según el caso: la actividad antibacteriana, antifúngica, antioxidante, fotoprotectora, hipoglucemiante y antiinflamatoria. Los resultados obtenidos al evaluar las diferentes propiedades biológicas de las plantas indican una estrecha relación entre la fitoquímica, la farmacognosia y el uso de la planta en la medicina tradicional de las especies utilizadas en esta región del país.
ABSTRACT In this paper, we present a bioclimatic approach to (1) differentiate populations of the... more ABSTRACT In this paper, we present a bioclimatic approach to (1) differentiate populations of the endemic Mexican columnar cactus Neobuxbaumia tetetzo within the Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Valley and (2) evaluate, under two possible future scenarios (years 2050 and 2080), the effects of climate change on the total species distribution in this area, as well as on groups of populations defined by their bioclimatic models. Four population groups were identified, and principal component analysis showed that the variables that explained more than 40% of the climatic variation were precipitation of the wettest quarter and temperature seasonality. Bioclimatic models under the different scenarios indicated that when the overall species distribution was analyzed, this area will probably have contracted by 19.5% by the year 2050 and 47.05% by the year 2080, whereas the separate analysis of population groups projected area contractions of 18.4% by the year 2050 and 51.95% by the year 2080. These results demonstrate the importance of exploring new approaches for evaluating and predicting current and future distribution of plant species.
Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution, Dec 19, 2008
Page 1. RESEARCH ARTICLE The effects of climate change on the geographic distribution of Mexican ... more Page 1. RESEARCH ARTICLE The effects of climate change on the geographic distribution of Mexican wild relatives of domesticated Cucurbitaceae Rafael Lira Æ Oswaldo Téllez Æ Patricia Dávila Received: 21 July 2008 / Accepted ...
Plant management types currently practiced in the Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Valley, México, were documen... more Plant management types currently practiced in the Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Valley, México, were documented and analyzed based on ethnobotanical studies conducted in 13 villages with six indigenous groups and Mestizo people. The information was organized in a data base, and then detailed and guided to a consensus through six workshops carried out by ethnobotanists working in the area. From a total of 1,608 useful plant species, we identified 610 with at least one management type other than simple gathering. Managed species are mainly used as food, fodder, medicinal, and ornamental, and they belong to 101 plant families. The higher species numbers were recorded in Cactaceae, Asteraceae, Fabaceae, Crassulaceae, and Agavaceae. Nearly 60% of the managed species are native to the region and the rest are introduced from other regions of Mexico and the world. In total, 400 species are ex situ managed out of their natural environments through seed sowing and/or planting their vegetative propagules or entire young plants; 373 species are in situ managed in their natural habitats as follows: all these species are deliberately left standing during vegetation clearance, 76 species are also enhanced intentionally favoring their abundance through modifications of their habitat, or directly by planting their propagules, and 51 receive protection through regulations, particular strategies of extraction, and actions against herbivores, competitors, freezing, radiation, and drought. Most management forms involve artificial selection at different intensity levels. The information allows visualizing co-occurrence of incipient and advanced forms of management at different intensity levels within and among species, which helps to postulate testable hypotheses on factors influencing plant management and domestication in an important area for studying the origins of agriculture. Manejo de plantas en el Valle de Tehuacán-Cuicatlán, México. Se documentaron los diferentes tipos de manejo de plantas que practican actualmente los pobladores del Valle de Tehuacán-Cuicatlán, México. El análisis se basa en estudios etnobotánicos llevados a cabo en 13 comunidades campesinas con seis grupos indígenas y poblados mestizos. La información se organizó en una base de datos, la cual posteriormente se detalló y se consensó a través de seis talleres en los que participaron los etnobotánicos trabajando en la región y cuyos trabajos son la base de esta investigación. De un total de 1,608 especies de plantas útiles, identificamos 610 con al menos un tipo de manejo distinto a la recolección simple. Las especies
Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution, Aug 20, 2016
The efficient storage and germination of seeds underpin the effective use of plants for livelihoo... more The efficient storage and germination of seeds underpin the effective use of plants for livelihoods and sustainable development. A total of 204 wild species useful for local communities of the Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Valley were collected and stored in seed banks in country for long term conservation, and 66 % (i.e., 134) duplicated in the U.K., as an effective means of ex situ conservation. Of the 204 species, 147 (122 of which also duplicated in the U.K.) were previously listed as useful plants in the ethnofloristic inventory of the Valley. Based on literature surveys, we found that one of the major impediments to the use of stored seeds of wild species is the lack of knowledge of how to germinate the seed. In detailed studies, we found that seeds of 18 useful plant species from 10 different families germinated readily and could be propagated. In contrast, four species (Actinocheita filicina, Bursera submoniliformis, Karwinskia mollis and Lippia graveolens) produced dormant seeds and therefore further studies are needed before their use can be maximised in large scale propagation programmes in support of conservation and livelihoods. Overall, this large-scale study on useful wild plant species in Mexico confirms that conventional seed banking can effectively support sustainable development and livelihood programmes.
PremiseDomestication of plant species results in phenotypic modifications and changes in biotic i... more PremiseDomestication of plant species results in phenotypic modifications and changes in biotic interactions. Most studies have compared antagonistic plant‐herbivore interactions of domesticated plants and their wild relatives, but little attention has been given to how domestication influences plant‐pollinator interactions. Floral attributes and interactions of floral visitors were compared between sister taxa of the genus Cucurbita (Cucurbitaceae), the domesticated C. moschata, C. argyrosperma ssp. argyrosperma and its wild progenitor C. argyrosperma ssp. sororia in the place of origin.MethodsWe conducted univariate and multivariate analyses to compare floral morphological traits and analyzed floral reward (nectar and pollen) quantity and quality between flowers of wild and domesticated Cucurbita taxa. Staminate and pistillate flowers of all three taxa were video recorded, and visitation and behavior of floral visitors were registered and analyzed.ResultsMost floral morphological ...
Homegardens preserve much of the local cultural history and reveal information about plant manage... more Homegardens preserve much of the local cultural history and reveal information about plant management decisions by individual holders. A survey was conducted in the homegardens of San Rafael Coxcatl! an, a rural village in the semi-arid valley of Tehuac! an-Cuicatl! an, Mexico. Two hundred and thirty three different plant species were collected in 30 studied homegardens. 65.7% were ornamental, 29.6% edible and 8.6% were medicinal. Sixty eight percent of the plants were cultivated, while 22% were spared and 10% protected. The results confirm that homegardens are rich in biodiversity and are interesting for ethnobotanical research. Moreover, they need to be considered for in situ conservation and development programs in future.
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