Ganancias y pérdidas: Los bosques secos tropicales son vulnerables al cambio global

The document reports that only 40% of the original tropical dry forests in the Americas remain, with only 4.5% (23,417 km2) under protection. Satellite data from 1982 to 2006 shows divergent productivity trends: increases in the Llanos of Venezuela and Colombia, northern Mexico, and the Chaqueña region of Argentina and Bolivia, but decreases in other parts of Mexico and the Brazilian Caatinga. These shifts are linked to global warming's impact on precipitation and humidity. The text warns that declining productivity reduces carbon storage and water retention, while increased productivity may inadvertently encourage further deforestation and agricultural intensification. It advocates for expanded protection, sustainable land management, and economic incentives like payments for environmental services and REDD+ to preserve biodiversity and ecosystem services.

• Tropical dry forests in the Americas have suffered significant loss, with only 40% of the original surface remaining. Of this remainder, only 4.5% (23,417 km2) is protected within biological reserves and national parks, primarily in Brazil and Bolivia.
• Satellite analysis of vegetation indices between 1982 and 2006 reveals contrasting productivity trends across the Americas. Productivity increased in the Llanos of Colombia and Venezuela, northern Mexico, and the Chaqueña region of Bolivia and Argentina. Conversely, productivity decreased in the Brazilian Caatinga and other regions of Mexico.
• Global warming is identified as the likely driver of these productivity changes by altering humidity and precipitation regimes. Declining productivity leads to reduced water retention, lower biomass in stands, and decreased carbon storage, which may increase risks of desertification, habitat loss, and forest fires.
• While increased productivity in some regions might seem positive, it may encourage intensified deforestation and agriculture. Such land-use changes could trigger desertification and the expansion of agave and cactus species in previously forested areas.
• The document emphasizes that tropical dry forests provide critical ecosystem services beyond carbon capture, including climate and hydrology regulation. It suggests that successful conservation requires sustainable land management and economic mechanisms such as REDD+ and payments for environmental services.

APA

Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (2011). Ganancias y pérdidas: Los bosques secos tropicales son vulnerables al cambio global. https://iai.int/admin/site/sites/default/files/snapshot8_SP.pdf

Chicago

Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research. Ganancias y pérdidas: Los bosques secos tropicales son vulnerables al cambio global. 2011. https://iai.int/admin/site/sites/default/files/snapshot8_SP.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research |title=Ganancias y pérdidas: Los bosques secos tropicales son vulnerables al cambio global |date=2011 |url=https://iai.int/admin/site/sites/default/files/snapshot8_SP.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{interamericaninstituteforglobalchangeresearch2011ganancias, author = {{Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research}}, title = {{Ganancias y pérdidas: Los bosques secos tropicales son vulnerables al cambio global}}, institution = {Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research}, year = {2011}, url = {https://iai.int/admin/site/sites/default/files/snapshot8_SP.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }