Habitat and distribution of five Quercus (Fagaceae) species in the ChiapasCentral Plateau, Mexico

We describe the habitat of species within the Fagaceae subgenus Lepidobalan us (genus Quercus) and identify environmental variables related to their di stribution in the Meseta Central of Chiapas, Southern Mexico. In 258 plots a dominance index was used, combining tree density and crown cover, for Que rcus peduncularis, Q. polymorpha, Q. rugosa, Q. sebifera and Q. segoviensis . The following variables were measured: altitude, precipitation from Novem ber through April (PPNA), exposure, slope, fuel-wood harvesting and grazing . Detrended Canonical Correspondence Analysis was used for the statistical evaluation of data. Negative relationships among the dominance index of Q. peduncularis and Q. segoviensis, and altitude and PPNA values were found. T he dominance index of Q. rugosa and Q. segoviensis was correlated with expo sure and intensity of fuel-wood harvesting. Altitude, and to a lesser exten t PPNA, determined the distribution of the evaluated species. The results s uggest that Quercus peduncularis, Q. polymorpha, Q. rugosa, Q. segoviensis and Q. sebifera display different ecological patterns.