A Biogeographical Investigation of the Sierra De Tuxtla in Veracruz, Mexico. Robert F
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Louisiana State University LSU Digital Commons LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses Graduate School 1964 A Biogeographical Investigation of the Sierra De Tuxtla in Veracruz, Mexico. Robert F. Andrle Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses Recommended Citation Andrle, Robert F., "A Biogeographical Investigation of the Sierra De Tuxtla in Veracruz, Mexico." (1964). LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses. 931. https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses/931 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at LSU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses by an authorized administrator of LSU Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. This dissertation has been 64—13,244 microfilmed exactly as received ANDRLE, Robert F„ 1927- A BIOGEOGRAPHICAL INVESTIGATION OF THE SIERRA DE TUXTLA IN VERACRUZ, MEXICO. Louisiana State University, Ph.D., 1964 Geography University Microfilms, Inc., Ann Arbor, Michigan Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. A BIOGEOGRAPHICAL B^/ESTIGA.TION OF THE SIERRA DE TUZTLA IN VERACRUZ, MEXICO A Dissertation Suhoiitted to the Graduate Faculty of the Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College in partial fulfillment of the requirements f or the^ degree of Doctor of Philosophy in The Department of Geography and Anthropology by Robert F. Andrle M.A., University of Buffalo, i960 May,- 1964 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. AGKNOWLEDGI'IENTS To the inany persons who aided in this study I extend ry -üianks, especially to Dr. Robert C« West of the Department of Geography and An thropology at Louisiana State University for recommendations and crit ical reading of the manuscript; to Dr. George H. Lowery, Jr., Director of the Musetmi of Natural Science at the same university, for suggestions and collecting equipment; and to Fred T. Hall, Director of the Museum of ' Science in Buffalo, New Yoi4c, for equipment and a leave of absence from the museum staff. I am indebted to officials of several Mexican govern.- raent agencies for their cooperation, and especially thank Prof. Enrique Beltran, Subsecretary of Forest Resources and Game, and the late Ing. Luis l'üacxas Arellano, Director General of the Game Department, for their assistance and for granting collecting permits. sincere thanks go to Dr. Velva E. Rudd, "Associate Curator at the U. S. National Museum, for determining ray plant collections. Dr. Harold H. Ax tell. Curator of Bi ology at the Buffalo Museum of Science, an excellent field ccmroanion, contributed to ray work in i960. I am also indebted to many residents of the Sierra, particularly Prof. Carlos F. Ramirez, Dr. Raphael Gallego de la Cruz and John Lind. Ing. Roberto Gutierrez Gil of Petroleos Mex- icanos, Prof. Othon Arroniz of the IMiversity of Veracruz, Dr. Allan R. Phillips, Dr. Robert W. Dickerman, Gary N. Ross, Ruth A. Sparrotf, Robert D. Coggeshall and Mrs. Frederic K. Wÿkes deserve thanks for their help. The encouragement and assistance of ray wife, Patricia, was invaluable. Major support for the study was afforded by the National Research Coun cil of the National Acaderay of Sciences under Subcontract Number ii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page UST OF TABLES ..................... iv LIST OF FIGURES ' . v LIST OF P L A T E S ...................................... vi ABSTRACT ........................................ v i ü INTRODUCTION 1 Chapter I. PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT................................ 8 Geologic factors Land configuration and drainage Climatic factors Soils II. FLORAL,ELEMENTS ......... - .................... Plant fomations III. FAUNAL ELEMENTS................. ’........ 86 Introduction Life zones Avifauna Mammalian fauna IV. m m ELEMENT........................................ 121 Settlement and population Land systems and land use V. CORRELATION AND SYNTHESIS ....................... l68 Relationships Prospect Summary BIBLIOGRAPHY............................................. 193 APPENDIX A: A NATIONAL PARK OR FOREST AND WILDLIFE PRESERVE . 207 APPENDIX B; SOME PLANT SPECIES OF THE SIERRA DE TUXTLA......... 212 APPENDIX Ci NONTRANSIENT BIRD SPECIES OF THE SIERRA DE TUXTLA . 218 AUTOBIOGRAPHY............................................. 236 iii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. LIST OF TABLES Table Page I. SIERRA DE TTKTLA STATION METEOROLOGICAL D A T A .............. 33 II. NUMBER OF NONTRANSIENT BIRD SPECIES BY FAMILIES RECORDED IN THE SIERRA DE TUXTLA 91 III. ATIPAUNAL ELEMENTS IN THE SIERRA DE T U X T L A ............... lOi^ Iv. MAMMAL FAILLIES Aή NUMBER OF SPECIES IN EACH liHICH OCCUR OR MAY OCCUR IN THE SIERRA DE TUXTLA................... 106 V. POPULATION OF CANTONS LOS TUXTLAS AND ACAYUCAN AND THE SIERRA DE TUXTLA 1868-1910 ......................... 131 VI. POPULATION OF SIERRA DE TUXTLA REGION MUNICIPIOS 1930-1960 . 135 VII. SIERRA DE TUXTLA REGION POPULATION INCREASE COMPARED XOTH VERACRUZ STATE AND MEXICO 1930-1960 137 VIII. SIERRA DE TUXTLA COLONIAS ............................. lij3 iv Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. UST OF FIGURES Figure Page 1. Location ma p ........................................ 2 2. Geology and surface configuration........................ 10 3. Elevations............................................ 18 h» Temperature and precipitation........................... 32 5» Temperature in northers................................. 39 6, Selected hurricane tracks in the southern Gulf of I'fexico 1 8 3 0 - 1 9 2 8 ........................................... h7 7* Vegetation ..................................... ^7 8, life zones ..................................... 8? 9. Mammal distribution................................... 112 10. Archeological s ites ................................... 122 11. Settlement in colonial times ^ l6th and l8th centuries .... 122 12. Population and colonization i9 6 0 ......................... 133 13. Land u s e ............................................. ll;7 lit. Humid tropical forest and possible park ar e a s .............. 179 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. LIST OF FIATES Plate Page I. LAOC CATEMACO c .................................... 13 II. VOLCANIC HEADLAND................................. U III. LAVA FLOW AT GULP OF MEXICO ......................... 1^ IV s SUHPACE CONFIGURATION ....... J.y V. CRATER LAKE ...................... '................ 20 VI. VOLCANO CRATER ................................. 21 Vn. BAHIA SONTECOMAPAN ......................... 23 VIII. SALTO . ........................................ 25 n . MOUNTAIN S T R E A M ................................ 26 X. SUBSURFACE STRATA.................................... 52 XI. MONTANE RAIN FO REST.................... 60 XII, CLOUD F O R E S T ....................................... 65 XIII. ELFIN F O R E S T ........................................ 6? XIV. SEMIDECIDU0U5 FOREST .............................. 69 XV. SEMI-OPEN FOREST-PALM-GRASSLAND........................ 71 XVI. PINE-OAK F O R E S T .................. 72 XVII. OAK F O R E S T ......................................... 77 XVIII. GUÎI-OAIC FOREST ............................. 79 XIX. SECONDARY F O R E S T .................................... 83 XX. GULF SHORE .................................. 85 XXI. COASTAL S T R E A M ....... - ......... 113 XXII. SANTIAGO T UX TLA................. ............... « 13U XXIII. PIONEER SETTLEMENT ................................. lilO XXIV. MOUNTAIN VILLAGE ........... Hil vi Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Plate Page XX7, ABANDONED RAIN FOREST CLEARING ...................... 1 ^ m i . RECENT SETTLEMENT.................................. 1^3 m n . CANE C U L TIVATI ON.................... '............. 1 ^ mill. COFFEE PLANTATION ................................. 1^7 XXH. LUMBER CAMP ....................................... 1^9 XXX. CHARCOAL PRODUCTION................................. l6it XXXI. CULTURAL LANDSCAPE . ............................ 17k v n Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ABSTRACT The Sierra de Tuxtia, a small, isolated volcanic momtain area near the Gulf coast of southern Veracruz, Mexico, affords excellent conditions for biogeographical investigations. The present study de scribes the manner in which physical and human factors have influenced native vegetation, nontransient avifauna and larger forest mammals in this tropical region. Physical factors considered are geology, land configuration, climate, drainage and soils; human factors examined include population, settlement and forms of land use. Following the Sierra's permanent emergence from nairine inunda tion in the Tertiary, volcanism and erosion gradually transformed the land surface into its present configuration of high-walled craters, steep cones, ridges, valleys and undulating uplands. Most Sierra soils have been derived from- basic volcanic materials,