Cactus list and asociated plants of the protected natural area Sierra Corral de Los Bandidos, Nuevo Leon, Mexico

The Sierra Corral de los Bandidos is a natural protected area located in the Sierra Madre Oriental mountain range northwest of Monterrey city. This preserve suffers the impact of human activities in the form of cattle ranching, agriculture, harvest of wild plants, and urbanism), diminishing its natural resources and threatening its endemic species, especially from the cactaceae family. The purpose of this study was to obtain information on the diversity of cacti and associated species in the buffer and nucleus zones of the preserve. Stratified sampling with quadrats along transects oriented along elevational gradients were carried out to estimate richness and similarity indices. A total of 112 taxa (30 Cactaceae) were found: 87 (24 cactaceae) in the buffer zone,and 80 (19 cactaceae) in the nucleus zone. The most conspicuous cactus species due to their density, frequency, and abundance were Echinocereus stramineus (Engelm.) Engelm. ex F. Seitz, Cylindropuntia leptocaulis F. M. Knuth in Backeb et F. M. Knuth, Mammillaria melanocentra Poselg., Neolloydia conoidea (DC) Britton et Rose, (Cactaceae); Erioneuron avenaceum (If. B et K.) Tateoka, (Poaceae); Viguiera stenoloba S. F. Blake, Zexmenia hispida (Kunth) A. Gray, (Asteraceae) and Agave lechuguilla Torr, (Agavaceae). Significative differences were found between the Cactaceae plants for the zones of the protected area, as shown by the indices obtained: Jacquard (13%), Sorensen (38%) and Morisita (0.44). Eight cactus species (7 endemic) from this report are listed as receiving some level of protection under Mexican conservation law.