TROPI-DRY: Human, ecological and biophysical dimensions of tropical dry forests (SGP-CRA 2021)

1) Modeled depletion of water tables in response to pasture establishment in 9 specific areas of the study basin. 2) View of a tropical dry forest in the wet season. 3) Same tropical dry forest in the dry season

Project information

This project follows the research started in CRN 2021, with the same title.

Executive Summary Outreach Investigators Students

Executive Summary

Tropical dry forests (TDF), with their high agricultural and touristic potential and ideal conditions for human settlement are extremely vulnerable. This research network is developing a comprehensive knowledge basis of the human and biophysical dimensions for TDFs in the Americas.

Goals

• Understand the role of tropical secondary forests play on interception of precipitation
  at regional level
• Quantify CO₂ and H₂0 emissions from tropical dry forests to support programs for payments for environmental services based on accurate carbon and water models.
• Develop innovative links between government agencies, scientists, and communities to promote sustainable management of TDFs.

Some results

• We have been able to quantify carbon and water fluxes from tropical dry forests in Mexico and Costa Rica under different levels of environmental stresses.
• Our research has been able to document significant linkages between remote sensing observations, micro-meteorology and vegetation stress for tropical dry forests not previously documented.
• Our results in Mexico and Costa Rica suggest that regeneration of tropical dry forests increases rainfall interception by close to 80% after 5-years since colonization starts. The former has significant impact on regional water management in semi-arid and arid regions of the Americas.
• In the context of climate change, tropical dry forests are demonstrating significant levels of resilience not previously documented.
• Tropical dry forests in Mexico and Brazil are those with significant responses to climate change. These forests are demonstrating a significant decrease in productivity in the last 30-years.

Outreach materials

Progress report (May 2013) PDF in English

Principal investigator and lead agency

Arturo Sánchez-Azofeifa – arturo.sanchez@ualberta.ca
The University of Alberta (Canada)

Co-investigators
Julio Calvo – Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica
Mario Marcos do Espiritu Santo – Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Minas Gerais, Brazil

Students

Eric Ribeiro Madureira, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Brazil.
Sandra Duran, PHD, University of Alberta, Colombia.
Abdel Mausori, Undergraduate, University of Alberta, Canada.
Alline Mendes Alves, Master, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Brazil.
Ana Carolina Lima Finoti, Undergraduate, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Andres Arguedas, PHD, Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica, Costa Rica.
Andrés Calderín Garcia,PHD, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Branko Hilje, PHD, University of Alberta, Costa Rica
Camila Pinheiro Nobre, PHD, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Carlos Henrique Miranda Rodrigues, Undergraduate, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Brazil.
Carlos Portillo, Post Doctorate, University of Alberta, Venezuela.
Cassidy Rankine, PHD, University of Alberta, Canada.
David Sanchez, Undergraduate, Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica, Costa Rica.
Domina Harrison, Undergraduate, University of Alberta, Canada.
Elena Garcia, Undergraduate, Universidad Politecnica de Valencia, Spain.
Elizabeth Jimenez, Undergraduate, Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica, Costa Rica.
Eugenia Gonzales del Castillo, PHD, University of California, Mexico.
Flavio Marriano Machado Mota, Undergraduate, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Brazil.
Gustavo Henrique Gomes de Oliveira, Undergraduate, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Brazil.
Helen Botelho Marota, Master, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Irais Medina, Undergraduate, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana
,Mexico.
Isabel Guzman, Doctorate, Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica, Costa Rica.
Jason Rojas, Undergraduate, Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica, Costa Rica.
Jesús Oliván, Undergraduate, Universidas Autonoma del Estado de Morelos, Mexico
Joselandio Correa Santos, Undergraduate, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Brazil.
Josue Grant Panton, Undergraduate, Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica, Costa Rica.
Kalyla Stan, Undergraduate, University of Alberta, Canada.
Kênia Mendes Dias, Master, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Kléber de Oliveira Fernandes, Master, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Brazil.
Luiz Gilberto Ambrósio de Souza, Master, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Marco Túlio Santos Vieira, Undergraduate, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Brazil.
Maria Fernanda Fonseca, Undergraduate, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Brazil.
Maria Fernanda Gonçalves Durães, Undergraduate, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Brazil.
Maurico Yamanaka, Master, University of Alberta, Mexico.
Mike Hesketh, PHD, University of Alberta, Canada.
Paulo Augusto Binder D’Angelis, Master, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Brazil,
Payri Yamarte, Master, University of Alberta, Canada.
Rocio Cortez, Undergraduate, Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica, Costa Rica.
Sael Sánchez Eliaz, PHD, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Sarah Freitas Magalhães Silva, Master, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Brazil.
Saulo Castro Contreras, PHD, University of Alberta, Mexico.
Sebastian Paz Mora, Undergraduate, Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica, Costa Rica.
Sofia Calvo Rodriguez, Master, University of Alberta, Costa Rica.
Thiago Gonçalves Silva, Master, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Brazil.
Tiffany Riddle, Undergraduate, University of Alberta, Canada.
Victor Martinez, Undergraduate, Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica, Costa Rica.
Wesley Silveira Marcelo Soares, Undergraduate, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Brazil.
Xinia Marin, Undergraduate, Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica, Costa Rica.