Abies religiosa Seedling Limitations for Passive Restoration Practices at the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve in Mexico

Passive restoration of the sacred fir (Abies religiosa) forest within Mexico's Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve is highly constrained by environmental factors, particularly soil moisture and moss thickness during dry, warm periods. Research found that seedling mortality reached 49.2% by the end of the dry season in June 2016, with the highest monthly mortality (14.3%) occurring in April—a critical period marked by low soil moisture and thin moss layers. While moss did not negatively impact seedling survival, it helped mitigate soil moisture loss during this vulnerable time. Seedling recruitment was also higher at intermediate elevations (3050–3300 m a.s.l.) compared to higher elevations, suggesting that climate change could further exacerbate these challenges. The study evaluated 53 sites along an elevational gradient in 2015 and tracked seedling mortality in 2016, revealing that natural regeneration alone is insufficient for effective restoration without targeted management interventions.

Guzmán-Aguilar, G., Carbajal-Navarro, A., Sáenz-Romero, C., Herrerías-Diego, Y., López-Toledo, L., & Blanco-García, A. (2020). Abies religiosa Seedling Limitations for Passive Restoration Practices at the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve in Mexico. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 8. https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2020.00115