Características poblacionales y ecología del endemismo cubano Melocactus nagyi (Cactaceae), en la Reserva Florística Manejada El Macío, Cuba.

In a population of Melocactus nagyi (Cactaceae), in the El Macío Floristic Managed Reserve, Cuba, were conducted an ecological study. Some attributes of the population were studied by transects and a population sampling was performed along the linear 10 km of the population. Each individual was classified as immature or adult, and it was determined which individuals were growing aggregated or solitary in each transect. Among adult individuals were counted those with offshoot, flowers and fruits, and it was counted the number of offshoot, flowers and fruits. To evaluate the spatial distribution pattern of the species was calculated the Morisita Standardized Index (Ip). In transects were located 150 individuals and 730 in the sample. In transects 71,33% of individuals counted were immature and, 64,93% in the sample. The population has an aggregated pattern (Ip=0.50). In transects 34,9% of adult individuals had offshoot (36 total offshoot), 34,9% had flowers (22 flowers) and 23,26% had fruits (21 fruits). The population is relatively large, and has an elevated recruitment rate. However, it is essential to establish monitoring of the population to collect details of space-temporal dynamics, interactions with pollinators and seed dispersers, and to assess the impact of the major threats identified in the area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]