Understanding how microclimate and vegetation are associated during secondary succession is of primary importance for plant conservation in the face of the increasing land cover modification. However, these patterns are still unstudied for many plant communities. This study aimed to evaluate the structure (species richness, Shannon's diversity index, Simpson´s dominance index, abundance of each species, average height of species, species cover (%), species composition, and indicator values) of a low thorn forest fragment and to analyze its relation with microclimate along a successional gradient. Four stages of succession were delimited by the analysis of Landsat images, in the state of Tamaulipas, northeast Mexico. Statistical models incorporated species richness, diversity indices, abundance, height, and cover, as variables for searching differences between stages, or to evaluate microclimate associations. A total of 70 species, 54 genera, and 27 families were determined. Height of tree layer was the most important variable for discrimination of the successional stages. Conserved areas differed floristically from other stages, associated mainly with the lowest values of wind speed originated by tree layer characteristics. A significant association between species and microclimate was found, being wind speed and relative humidity the most important variables. Some species, due to their high importance values and their patterns of association with microclimate, may be considered as key taxa for low thorn forest, which is a threatened semitropical community in northeast Mexico. Conserved and late successional areas account for climatic regulation of this plant community, and the importance of these forest patches may be considered when establishing biodiversity protection areas.

面对不断增加的土地覆被变化，了解次生演替期间的微气候和植被之间的关系对于植物保护至关重要。但是，对于许多植物群落，仍未研究这些模式。这项研究旨在评估低刺森林碎片的结构（物种丰富度，香农多样性指数，辛普森优势指数，每种物种的丰度，物种平均高度，物种覆盖率（％），物种组成和指标值）并分析其与沿连续梯度的小气候的关系。通过分析墨西哥东北部塔毛利帕斯州的Landsat影像，确定了四个继承阶段。统计模型结合了物种丰富度，多样性指数，丰度，高度和覆盖率，作为搜索阶段之间差异的变量，或评估小气候关联。总共确定了70种，54属和27个科。树高是区分演替阶段的最重要变量。自然保护区与其他阶段的植物区系不同，主要与树木层特征引起的最低风速有关。发现物种与微气候之间存在显着联系，其中风速和相对湿度是最重要的变量。一些物种由于其高重要性价值以及与小气候的关联模式而被认为是低刺森林的重要分类单元，而低刺森林是墨西哥东北部受威胁的亚热带群落。