Tropi-dry: Human, ecological and biophysical dimensions of tropical dry forests (CRN 2021)

Project information

This research continued in SGP-CRA 2021, with the same title

Executive summary Outreach Investigators Students

Executive summary

Tropical dry forests (TdFs), 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 ecology and diversity of TdFs and the climatic and socio-economic drivers of their development and degradation
• Document long-term trends in extent, biomass and integrity of secondary and primary TdFs
• Develop innovative links between government agencies, scientists, and communities to promote sustainable management of TdFs

Some results

• The first-ever map of TDFs in the Americas shows their extent and conservation/deforestation trends. In Costa Rica this mapping serves as a legal basis for conservation monitoring.
• Dry forests are highly fragmented by touristic and agricultural development, and conservation policies need to reflect this better. TROPI-DRY proposes the creation of TDF conservation networks and payments to local communities for the environmental services they provide.
• Phenology monitoring shows that close to the equator, the dry season is now shorter and dry forests have become more productive. Farther north and south, dry seasons last longer and dry forest growth has slowed.
• Productivity of dry forests is increasing in Brazil and decreasing in Bolivia.
• Data are being compiled how rural communities use natural resources in dry forests in Brazil.
• These results are creating a solid basis for the sustainable management of dry forests across the American continent.

Outreach

April 2011: To mark Earth Week, the US National Science Foundation (NSF) has released an audio slideshow on tropical dry forests on its web site. This video, based on the results of the IAI-sponsored Tropi-Dry research project, highlights the importance of protecting biodiversity-rich tropical dry forests which have attracted much less attention than Amazon rainforests. Tropical dry forests regions are often suitable for agriculture and therefore greatly threatened by deforestation. In the Brazilian State of Minas Gerais, data provided by the IAI project researchers helped an Appeals Court to restore the forests’ protection against deforestation that had been lifted by a 2010 State Law.

Progress report (March 2010) – PDF in English

Gains and losses
Download PDF
Download PDF in Spanish

Project investigators

Arturo Sánchez-Azofeifa – tropidry@ualberta.ca
The University of Alberta (Canadá)

Principal investigator and lead agency
Arturo Sánchez-Azofeifa – tropidry@ualberta.ca
The University of Alberta (Canada)

Co-investigators
John Gamon – University of Alberta, Canada
Mauricio Quesada – CiECo-UNAM, Mexico
Kathy Stoner – CiECo-UNAM, Mexico
Alicia Castillo – CiECo-UNAM, Mexico
Pablo Cuevas – UMSMH, Mexico
Deborah Lawrence – University of Virginia, US
Stephanie Powers – University of Minnesota, US
Julio Calvo – ITCR, Costa Rica
Ruperto Quesada – ITCR, Costa Rica
Rene Capote – Agencia del Medio Ambiente, Cuba
Jafet Nassar – IVIC, Venezuela
Jon Paul Rodriguez – IVIC, Venezuela
Geraldo Wilson Fernandez – UFMG, Brazil
Mario Marcos do Espiritu Santo – UNIMONTES, Brazil
Patricia Morellato – UNESP, Brazil
Romulo Menezes – UFPE, Brazil

Students

Alena Prolova, Undergraduate, University of Alberta, Canada.
Abraham Alvarado, Undergraduate, Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica, Costa Rica.
Adriana Aguilar, Undergraduate, Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica, Costa Rica.
Adriana Chávez, Undergraduate, Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica, Costa Rica.
Afrânio de Farias Júnior, PHD, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Brazil.
Alessandro Dornelas, Master, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Brazil.
Alline Mendes, Undergraduate, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Brazil.
Andre Quintino, Master, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Andrea Molina, Undergraduate, Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica, Costa Rica.
Ângela Lopes, Undergraduate, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Brazil.
Aniele C. F. Pereira, Undergraduate, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Brazil.
Areli Vázquez Ramírez, Undergraduate, UNAM, Mexico.
Arianne Gomez, Undergraduate, Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica, Costa Rica.
Arre Yunuen García-Rojas, PHD, UNAM, Mexico.
Bárbara Laine R. Silva, Master, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Brazil.
Blythe McLennan, PHD, University of Alberta, Australia.
Bruno Mariani Piana, Undergraduate, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Brazil.
Carine G. Ramos, Undergraduate, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Brazil.
Carla Aranguren, Master, IVIC, Venezuela.
Carla da Silva Sousa, PHD, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Carlos Campos, Undergraduate, Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica, Costa Rica.
Carlos Portillo, PHD, University of Alberta, Venezuela.
Carolina Poswar Camenietzki, Master, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Brazil.
Cássia Alves Lima, Master, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Brazil.
Cesar Jiménez, Undergraduate, Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica, Costa Rica.
Claudia Galicia-Castillo, Master, UNAM, Mexico.
Cláudio V. V. Magalhães, Master, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Brazil.
Cristian Baltodano, Undergraduate, Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica, Costa Rica.
Daniel de S. Paula, Undergraduate, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Brazil.
Daniel Villavicencio, Undergraduate, Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica, Costa Rica.
Dayana Silveira, Undergraduate, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Brazil.
Debora Vale, Undergraduate, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Domina Harrison, Undergraduate, University of Alberta, Canada.
Elisângela Santana , Undergraduate, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Brazil.
Emmanuel Almada, PHD, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Eugenia Del Castillo, PHD, University of California, Canada.
Evanildo Silva, Undergraduate, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Brazil.
Felisa C. Anaya, PHD, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Flavio Machado Mota, Undergraduate, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Brazil.
Francisco Monge, Master, Costa Rica.
Frederico S. Neves, PHD, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Gabriela Faccion, Master, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Brazil.
Gilberto Zonta Pastorello, Post PHD, University of Alberta, Brazil.
Giovana R. Luz, Master, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Brazil.
Gloria Rodriguez Cano, PHD, UNAM, Mexico.
Herbert S. Silva, Master, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Brazil.
Janiele R. Oliveira, Undergraduate, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Brazil.
Javier Heredia , Undergraduate, Universidad Politecnica de Valencia, Costa Rica
Joab Medeiros de Araújo, Undergraduate, Universidade Federal de Campina Grande, Brazil.
João Gabriel Souza, Master, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Brazil.
Joselândio C. Santos, Undergraduate, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Brazil.
Karen Caldeira, Undergraduate, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Brazil.
Karina Guedes Correia, PHD, Universidade Federal de Campina Grande, Brazil.
Karla Nunes Oliveira, Master, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Brazil.
Kayla Stan, Undergraduate, University of Alberta, Canada.
Keren Ruiz, Undergraduate, Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica, Costa Rica.
Larissa F. Machado, Undergraduate, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Brazil.
Laura Leandro, PHD, Costa Rica.
Leila Barros Araújo, Undergraduate, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Brazil.
Leonardo Q. Souza, Master, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Brazil.
Ligiany G. Souza, Undergraduate, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Brazil.
Luciana Monteiro, Undergraduate, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Brazil.
Luís Alberto D. Falcão, Master, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Brazil.
Luis Daniel Avila Cabadilla, PHD, UNAM, Mexico.
M. Betânia Fonseca, Undergraduate, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Brazil.
Mabel Sánchez Matías, Master, UNAM, Mexico.
Manolo Alvarado, Undergraduate, Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica, Costa Rica.
Marcel S Coelho, Master, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Brazil.
Marcell Pinheiro, Master, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Marco Túlio Santos Vieira, Undergraduate, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Brazil.
Mariana Dupin, Undergraduate, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Brazil.
Mariana Yólotl Alvarez Añorve, PHD, UNAM, Mexico.
Martha Lopezaraiza Mikel, PHD, UNAM, Mexico.
Mateus L.Souza, Undergraduate, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Brazil.
Mauricio Castillo, Master, University of Alberta, Costa Rica.Mauricio Yamanaka, Master, University of Alberta, Mexico.
Michael Hesketh, PHD, University of Alberta, Canada.
Miguel Saa, Undergraduate, Costa Rica.
Milton Barbosa, Master, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Monserrat Herrera, Undergraduate, Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica, Costa Rica.
Natalia Cintli Valdespino Vázquez, Undergraduate, UNAM, Mexico.
Natália Lins F. Andrade , Undergraduate, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Brazil.
Octavio Sánchez-Lieja, PHD, UNAM, Mexico.
Oscar Mora, Undergraduate, Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica, Costa Rica.
Pablo Carrillo, Undergraduate, Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica, Costa Rica.
Pablo Ruiz, Undergraduate, Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica, Costa Rica.
Patrícia Maia de Moura, PHD, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Brazil.
Patrícia Stefanelli, Undergraduate, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Brazil.
Paul Savard, Undergraduate, University of Alberta, Canada.
Paula Loiza, Undergraduate, Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica, Costa Rica.
Paulo R. Siqueira , Undergraduate, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Brazil.
Payri Yamarte, Master, University of Alberta, Canada.
Poliana Queiroz, Undergraduate, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Brazil.
Pollyanna Lima, Undergraduate, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Polyhanna Gomes, PHD, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Rafael N. S. Garro, Undergraduate, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Brazil.
Rafael T. A. Moura, PHD, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Brazil.
Raíssa M. M. Gonçalves, Master, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Brazil.
Randy Rosas Calderón, Undergraduate, UNAM, Mexico.
Rebeca Cordero, Undergraduate, Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica, Costa Rica.
Renann A. Oliveira, Undergraduate, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Brazil.
Ricardo Olvera García, Undergraduate, UNAM, Mexico.
Robert Aaron Ball, Master, University of Alberta, Canada.
Roberto Carlos Sáyago Lorenzana, PHD, UNAM, Mexico.
Roselyn Jiménez, Undergraduate, Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica, Costa Rica.
Saimo Rebleth, Undergraduate, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Brazil.
Sandra Duran, PHD, University of Alberta, Colombia.
Sarah F. M. Silva, Undergraduate, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Brazil.
Sergio Lopez Valencia, Undergraduate, UNAM, Mexico.
Sergio Zambrano, Master, IVIC, Venezuela.
Shary Mullins Riley, Undergraduate, Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica, Costa Rica.
Sofia Calvo Rodriguez, Undergraduate, University of Alberta, Costa Rica.
Soraya del Carmen Villalobos, Master, IVIC, Colombia.
Tathiane Paraíso da Silva, Undergraduate, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Brazil.
Tatiane K. B. Azevedo, Master, Universidade Federal de Campina Grande, Brazil.
Tatianne G. Marques, PHD, Universidade de Viçosa, Brazil.
Thalita F. Rocha, Undergraduate, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Brazil.
Tiffany Riddle, Undergraduate, University of Alberta, Canada.
Víctor Rosas-Guerrero, PHD, UNAM, Mexico.
Virginia Garcia Millan, PHD, Spain.
Vladimir Jiménez, Master, Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica, Costa Rica.
William Bandeira, Master, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Brazil.
Yingduan Huang, PHD, University of Alberta, Canada.
Yumi Oki, Undergraduate, University of Alberta, Canada.
Yunuen Soto Martínez, Undergraduate, UNAM, Mexico.

Links to other IAI projects
Tropi-Dry collaborates with the Collaborative Research Network on soil microbe-plant interactions (CRN2094) and with the Small Grants Project for the Human Dimension on conservation policy impacts in tropical dry forests in the context of other social and natural drivers of land use (SGP-HD008).

Associate organizations
Lund University, Malmo University (Sweeden), Universidad Tecnológica y Pedagógica de Colombia (Colombia),Technische Universität Bergakademie Freiberg (Germany)