Potential distribution of Prosopis Laevigata (Humb. et Bonpl. ex Wiilld. M.C. Johnst in the state of Hidalgo, Mexico Distribución potencial de Prosopis Laevigata (Humb. et Bonpl. ex Wiilld. M.C. Johnst en el estado de Hidalgo, México

© 2021 National Institute of Forestry. All right reserved.Prosopis laevigata (Mezquite) has a wide geographic distribution in the Mexican Republic and is a valuable resource in arid and semi-arid zones due to its ecological functions and the use of its wood for various uses; however, due to overexploitation they have had, their natural range has been markedly reduced. Based on the above, the objective of this study was to delimit potential areas for the establishment of this species in the state of Hidalgo, Mexico. For this, the MaxEnt algorithm was used ver. 3.3.3 to determine the potential distribution of mesquite, which was validated with the help of ROC analysis. The Jackknife test was used to identify limiting factors in the potential distribution of the species. The analysis of the data indicated that the factors of climate type, temperature and humidity are the most relevant to define potential areas of establishment; while evapotranspiration, soil science and geology were less important. The obtained model revealed an availability of 83 438 ha where mesquite can be established and they are mainly concentrated in the central region of the state. Therefore, it is concluded that the state of Hidalgo has large areas where mesquite can be developed.