Jessica G. Landeros-López

Ms. Jessica G. Landeros-López

Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico

Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

2Years (2025-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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5 June 2025 in Plants
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
Jessica G. Landeros-LópezJessica G. Landeros-López
Jessica G. Landeros-López
Thorsten KrömerThorsten Krömer
Thorsten Krömer
Jorge Antonio Gómez DíazJorge Antonio Gómez Díaz
Jorge Antonio Gómez Díaz
NVNoé Velázquez-Rosas
Noé Velázquez-Rosas
CCCesar Isidro Carvajal-Hernández
Cesar Isidro Carvajal-Hernández
Urban forests are remnants of forest habitats within urban areas. Their structural alterations create stressful microclimatic conditions that can influence the morphology of sensitive plants, such as ferns. This study analyzed variations in the morphological traits of ferns in four urban forest sites in central Veracruz, Mexico, considering the microclimatic differences arising from vegetation structure. Temperature, humidity, canopy openness, and radiation were measured, along with eight foliar traits, while assessing the impact of site and habit (terrestrial or epiphytic) on the response. Sites with greater alterations in vegetation structure exhibited increased canopy openness, solar radiation, temperature, and a higher number of days with lower relative humidity. In these sites, leaves showed an increase in dry matter content and vein density, indicating a greater investment in resource storage and structural resistance. In the less-disturbed sites, terrestrial ferns demonstrated larger leaf area and specific leaf area, suggesting greater growth potential. Conversely, epiphytes generally had smaller leaves, which could represent an adaptive advantage for these species. The results also suggest a process of biotic homogenization within this plant group, reflecting a similar morphological response, except for indicator species restricted to less disturbed sites. Thus, this study reveals that microclimatic variations induced by urbanization significantly affect plant morphology and, ultimately, species diversity.