Gains and losses

The document reports that tropical dry forests in the Americas are highly endangered, with only 40% of their original extent remaining and only 4.5% protected. Satellite data from 1982 to 2006 shows divergent productivity trends: forests in the Brazilian Caatinga and parts of Mexico are losing productivity, while those in the Llanos of Venezuela and Colombia, Northern Mexico, and the Chaco of Argentina and Bolivia are seeing increases. These shifts are linked to global warming's effect on rainfall and moisture. The text warns that productivity losses threaten carbon storage and water resources, while productivity gains may encourage further deforestation and agricultural intensification. It advocates for expanded protection beyond national parks, including economic incentives and sustainable land management.

• Tropical dry forests in the Americas have suffered significant loss, with only 40% of their original extent remaining and a very low protection rate of 4.5% (23,417 km2) within biological reserves and national parks, primarily located in Brazil and Bolivia.
• Satellite analysis of productivity between 1982 and 2006 reveals regional disparities: productivity increased in the Chaco of Argentina and Bolivia, the Llanos of Venezuela and Colombia, and some Northern Mexican ecoregions, whereas it decreased in the Brazilian Caatinga and other Mexican regions.
• Global warming is identified as the likely driver of these productivity changes by altering moisture and rainfall regimes. In Southern Mexico and Northeastern Brazil, declining productivity may increase pressure on water resources for tourism and agriculture and lead to desertification, habitat loss, and more frequent forest fires.
• While increased productivity in areas like Venezuela, Bolivia, Paraguay, Argentina, and Northern Mexico might seem positive, it may incentivize land users to intensify deforestation and agriculture, potentially triggering desertification and the spread of agave and cactus species.
• Tropical dry forests in the Americas cover 520,000 km2, with Mexico holding the largest share at 38%. High fragmentation in Peru, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Nicaragua, and Guatemala increases the risk of species extinction and disturbance.

APA

Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (2024). Gains and losses. https://iai.int/en/ganancias-y-perdidas/

Chicago

Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research. Gains and losses. 2024. https://iai.int/en/ganancias-y-perdidas/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research |title=Gains and losses |date=8 October 2024 |url=https://iai.int/en/ganancias-y-perdidas/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{interamericaninstituteforglobalchangeresearch2024gains, author = {{Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research}}, title = {{Gains and losses}}, institution = {Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research}, year = {2024}, month = oct, url = {https://iai.int/en/ganancias-y-perdidas/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }