Conservation of vascular plant diversity in an agricultural and industrial region in the Chihuahuan Desert, Mexico

The Chihuahuan Desert is considered a site of high biodiversity; however, few studies have focused on the vascular flora in local areas. This study presents a floristic inventory and an analysis of the floristic richness and biogeographic regionalization of Comarca Lagunera in northern Mexico from a compilation of historical records obtained from the literature, the database of the National Biodiversity Information System of Mexico, the assessment of herbarium specimens and field collections. We documented 1174 species of vascular plants corresponding to approximately 30% of all species reported in the Chihuahuan Desert, and 35 of these species are considered to be restricted to the limits of Comarca Lagunera. The sites with the highest species richness were found in mountainous areas, although we also identified areas without any plant records that should be considered for future floristic surveys. We found a high number of species that are listed on the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN). Among the types of vegetation present in the study area, the scrublands showed the highest species richness. From the climatic characteristics and distribution of the species, we found three biogeographical regions within the study area. A high number of species were previously reported at sites that are now urban sites or areas with other anthropogenic activities; land use change due to growth in agricultural and industrial activities endangers these species. Land use change has increased in recent years in Comarca Lagunera, which is one of the areas of Mexico with the most heavily modified ecosystems. [Display omitted] •The Chihuahuan Desert is an area of high biodiversity, including vascular plants.•Comarca Lagunera is an area within the Chihuahuan Desert with high anthropocentric activity.•The change in land use leads to loss of biodiversity.•Knowledge of the distribution of flora could help identify biodiversity conservation areas.