Extent and Drivers of Change of Neotropical Seasonally Dry Tropical Forests

Abstract

Seasonally dry tropical forests (SDTFs) are considered one of the most endangered tropical ecosystems (Janzen 1988c). High degrees of degradation are reported, not only for the Neotropics, but also in the old tropics (Miles et al.2006). Causes and consequences of such degradation are known on a limited basis, and much needs to be learned in terms of gaining a full understanding of what controls environmental deterioration trends in these ecosystems and their impact on ecosystem services. Furthermore, current knowledge on the extent and degree of fragmentation of tropical dry forests is constrained because of the low priority for conservation within governmental and nongovernmental funding agencies. In general, the perception that tropical forests do not exist outside of the Amazon basin, or that high priority should be given to tropical rain forests, has limited the current body of scientific literature (Sánchez-Azofeifa et al. 2005).