PROPOSAL FOR CONSERVATION OF THREE ENDANGERED SPECIES OF MEXICAN SPRUCE

Picea mexicana Martinez, P. chihuahuana Martinez and P. martinezii Patterson are endangered species endemic to Mexico. A synthesis of their status and a management proposal for their in situ and ex situ conservation are presented, based in the genetic structure and diversity of their populations, and on the predicted future distribution of suitable climatic habitat (years 2030, 2060 and 2090; averaging Canadian, Hadley and Fluid Dynamic models. Emission scenarios A and B). For in situ conservation we propose the protection, the increase of genetic diversity and the expansion of the only three populations of P. mexicana, the only four of P. martinezii and eight designed as priority of the 40 populations of P. chihuahuana, by planting individuals originated of seed collected in different populations, aiming to achieve a genetically viable minimum population size (between 1035 and 3836 individuals). For ex situ conservation we suggest the establishment of populations at sites outside the natural distribution range, where the suitable climatic habitat for each species is predicted to occur, with at least 3606 individuals of P. mexicana in the volcano Cofre de Perote, Veracuz; 2431 individuals of P. chihuahuana in the municipality of Guanacevi, Durango; and 3092 individuals of P. martinezii in the region of Tlatlauquitepec, Puebla, with seedlings originated from a seed mix of randomly selected trees collected at specific stands.