Landscape Genomics of Oak Populations in Mexican Temperate Forests

María Camila Latorre Cárdenas and Antonio González Rodríguez

Published May 2026 in International Oaks No. 37: 157–164

Abstract

Conservation of the Mexican temperate forest is crucial for maintaining biodiversity and ecosystemic services, especially in regions where natural vegetation is declining due to land-use and climate changes. In this study, we used landscape genomics tools to assess genetic diversity patterns and local adaptation of Quercus castanea, a dominant oak species of the Mexican temperate forests, within a socio-environmental landscape that has rapidly been transformed by avocado cultivation in the state of Michoacán. Genetic diversity of Q. castanea was moderate to high, and signals of potential local adaptation, mainly driven by precipitation seasonality, were identified despite the high levels of gene flow maintained by the species. Populations located at the western, eastern, and southern edges of the study area exhibited distinct adaptive profiles and, notably, these sites are embedded within avocado orchards. Conserving these populations and their genetic diversity is an important task, which requires collaboration with local producers to promote decision-making that supports both biodiversity and economic development.

Keywords

deforestation, natural ecosystem transformation, genetic diversity, spatial distribution, local adaptation

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