Date palm as a keystone species in Baja California peninsula,Mexico oases |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, National University of Northeast (UNNE), Corrientes, Argentina;2. Faculty of Medicine, National University of Northeast (UNNE), Corrientes, Argentina;3. Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, National University of La Plata (UNLP), La Plata, Argentina;1. Herbario Eizi Matuda, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Ciencias y Artes de Chiapas, Libramiento Norte Poniente 1150, Col. Lajas Maciel, 29039, Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas, México;2. Department of Botany, Smithsonian Institution, P.O. Box 37012, Washington D. C., USA 20013–7012;3. Missouri Botanical Garden, P. O. Box 299, St. Louis, MO, USA. 63166–0299;4. El Colegio de La Frontera Sur, Unidad San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Carretera Panamericana y Periférico Sur s/n, 29290, San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Chiapas, México;1. Nile Research Institute, National Water Research Center (NWRC), P.O. Box 13621, Delta Barrages, Qanater, Qalubia, Egypt;2. National Water Research Center (NWRC), Fum Ismailiya Canal, P.O. Box 74, Shoubra El Kheima 13411, Egypt;1. Wageningen University (Biosystematics Group), P.O. Box 647, 6700 AP Wageningen, The Netherlands;2. Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden University, P.O. Box 9517, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands;3. National Botanic Garden of Belgium, Nieuwelaan 38, 1860 Meise, Belgium |
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| Abstract: | Based on historical records, Jesuit missionaries were the first to introduce date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L., Arecacea) to the mission oases of the Mexican Baja California peninsula. Seedling date palms readily naturalized and have partially, and in some cases almost entirely replaced the native fan palm, Washingtonia filifera and Washingtonia robusta in the oases. These wild and introduced palms form the over-story for smaller cultivated trees, shrubs, and open gardens of mixed perennial and annual cultivars in complex agro-ecosystems. They also grow in dense stands along the oases arroyos where they may be “owned” by various oasis residents and semi- to carefully managed, or comprise wild populations beyond the periphery of the oasis settlements. These palms serve as ecological and cultural keystone species, altering oasis microclimates and providing shade for understory crops, shelter and food resources for resident and migratory fauna, and building materials and food for oasis human residents. I explore the agro-ecological role of the date palm in Baja California peninsula oases. |
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| Keywords: | Agro-ecosystems Baja California peninsula Cultural keystone Date palm Ecological keystone Jesuit missionaries Oases |
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