Juniperus jaliscana
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juniperus_jaliscana
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Juniperus jaliscana faces severe pressure from agricultural expansion and livestock grazing in the highlands of western Mexico, where its specialized montane habitat is being converted for farming and cattle ranching. Urban development around growing cities in Jalisco and neighboring states has fragmented remaining populations, while climate change threatens to shift suitable habitat to higher elevations that may not exist within its limited range.
Habitat
This endemic juniper occurs in montane pine-oak forests and cloud forest margins at elevations between 1,800-2,800 meters in the Sierra Madre Occidental of western Mexico. It typically grows on rocky slopes and ridges with well-drained volcanic soils, often forming small groves within mixed coniferous forests.
