Top

Biodiversity and Conservation

Published in:

06-08-2024 | Original Research

Forest fragmentation and connectivity in South American dry forests

Authors: Carlos A. Rivas, Rafael M. Navarro-Cerrillo

Published in: Biodiversity and Conservation | Issue 11/2024

Activate our intelligent search to find suitable subject content or patents.

search-config

AI-assisted search

Off

Abstract

Tropical dry forests are the most threatened of all the major tropical forest types and less than 25% of TDF currently remain worldwide. They are located mostly in South America. Parameters such as habitat loss, fragmentation and loss of connectivity have been identified as the main threats to biodiversity. This research aims to discover the forests changes, the evolution of connectivity and fragmentation of the South American tropical dry forest between 1992 and 2020. Land uses layers provided by the Copernicus program were employed, and land uses change, fragmentation and structural connectivity were analyzed in GIS systems. To calculate the functional connectivity, the Graphab software was used. The results showed a loss of forest surface, where fragmentation increased and a loss of functional connectivity between 25% and 49% occurs depended on the parameter analysed. On the other hand, some areas were recovered. Brazil is the country that recovered the most forest area and Argentina, Paraguay and Bolivia those that lost the most area. Only 31% of the area was not altered between 1992 and 2020. Human activities such as deforestation, agriculture expansion, and urbanization have led these forests to become increasingly fragmented and worse connected impacting on both ecological and socio-economic aspects. Supranational measures must be taken to mitigate the negative impacts of fragmentation and the loss of connectivity.

next article Cross-boundary effects of human impacts on animal assemblages in the coastal zone

Dont have a licence yet? Then find out more about our products and how to get one now:

Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik"

Online-Abonnement

Mit Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik" erhalten Sie Zugriff auf:

über 102.000 Bücher
über 537 Zeitschriften

aus folgenden Fachgebieten:

Automobil + Motoren
Bauwesen + Immobilien
Business IT + Informatik
Elektrotechnik + Elektronik
Energie + Nachhaltigkeit
Finance + Banking
Management + Führung
Marketing + Vertrieb
Maschinenbau + Werkstoffe
Versicherung + Risiko

Jetzt Wissensvorsprung sichern!

inform now

Springer Professional "Technik"

Online-Abonnement

Mit Springer Professional "Technik" erhalten Sie Zugriff auf:

über 67.000 Bücher
über 390 Zeitschriften

aus folgenden Fachgebieten:

Automobil + Motoren
Bauwesen + Immobilien
Business IT + Informatik
Elektrotechnik + Elektronik
Energie + Nachhaltigkeit
Maschinenbau + Werkstoffe

Jetzt Wissensvorsprung sichern!

inform now

Available only for authorised users

Aide TM, Clark ML, Grau HR et al (2013) Deforestation and reforestation of Latin America and the Caribbean (2001–2010). Biotropica 45:262–271. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-7429.2012.00908.xCrossRef

Anjos LJS, Barreiros de Souza E, Amaral CT et al (2021) Future projections for terrestrial biomes indicate widespread warming and moisture reduction in forests up to 2100 in South America. Glob Ecol Conserv. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.GECCO.2020.E01441CrossRef

Armenteras D, Espelta JM, Rodríguez N, Retana J (2017) Deforestation dynamics and drivers in different forest types in Latin America: three decades of studies (1980–2010). Glob Environ Chang 46:139–147. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2017.09.002CrossRef

Baumann M, Gasparri I, Piquer-Rodríguez M et al (2017) Carbon emissions from agricultural expansion and intensification in the Chaco. Glob Chang Biol 23:1902–1916. https://doi.org/10.1111/GCB.13521CrossRefPubMed

Biodiversity Indicators Partnership. (2010) Biodiversity indicators and the 2010 Target: Outputs, experiences and lessons learnt from the 2010 Biodiversity Indicators Partnership. Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, Montréal, Canada.

Birch CPD, Oom SP, Beecham JA (2007) Rectangular and hexagonal grids used for observation, experiment and simulation in Eecology. Ecol Model 206(3–4):347–359

Blackie R, Baldauf C, Gautier D, et al (2014) Tropical dry forests: The state of global knowledge and recommendations for future research

Buchadas A, Baumann M, Meyfroidt P, Kuemmerle T (2022) Uncovering major types of deforestation frontiers across the world’s tropical dry woodlands. Nat Sustain 57(5):619–627. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-022-00886-9CrossRef

Calvo-Alvarado J, Sánchez-Azofeifa A, Portillo-Quintero C (2013) Neotropical seasonally dry forests. In: Levin SA (ed) Encyclopedia of biodiversity, 2nd edn. Academic Press, Cambridge, pp 488–500CrossRef

Camarillo-Naranjo JM, Álvarez-Francoso JI, Limones-Rodríguez N, Pita-López MF, Aguilar-Alba M (2019) The global climate monitor system: from climate data-handling to knowledge dissemination. Int J Digit Earth 12:394–414. https://doi.org/10.1080/17538947.2018.1429502CrossRef

Chakraborty A, Ghosh A, Sachdeva K, Joshi PK (2017) Characterizing fragmentation trends of the Himalayan forests in the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand, India. Ecol Inform 38:95–109

Chen G, Powers RP, de Carvalho LMT, Mora B (2015) Spatiotemporal patterns of tropical deforestation and forest degradation in response to the operation of the Tucuruí hydroelectricdam in the Amazon basin. Appl Geogr 63:1–8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeog.2015.06.001CrossRef

Clauzel C, Foltête J-C, Girardet X, Vuidel G (2019) User Manual Graphab 2.4

Copernicus Climate Change Service CDS (2019) Land cover classification gridded maps from 1992 to present derived from satellite observation. Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) Climate Data Store (CDS). https://doi.org/10.24381/cds.006f2c9a

Crouzeilles R, Beyer HL, Monteiro LM et al (2020) Achieving cost-effective landscape-scale forest restoration through targeted natural regeneration. Conserv Lett 13:e12709. https://doi.org/10.1111/CONL.12709CrossRef

Cuba N (2015) Research note: Sankey diagrams for visualizing land cover dynamics. Landsc Urban Plan 139:163–167. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.LANDURBPLAN.2015.03.010CrossRef

Dinerstein E, Olson D, Joshi A et al (2017) An Ecoregion-based approach to protecting half the terrestrial realm. Bioscience 67:534–545. https://doi.org/10.1093/BIOSCI/BIX014CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

Drake J, Lambin X, Sutherland C, Sutherland C (2021) The value of considering demographic contributions to connectivity: a review. Ecography (cop). https://doi.org/10.1111/ecog.05552CrossRef

DryFlor et al (2016) Plant diversity patterns in neotropical dry forests and their conservation implications. Science 353:1383–1387. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aaf5080

Escribano-Avila G, Cervera L, Ordóñez-Delgado L et al (2017) Biodiversity patterns and ecological processes in neotropical dry forest: the need to connect research and management for long-term conservation. Neotrop Biodivers 3:107–116. https://doi.org/10.1080/23766808.2017.1298495CrossRef

EuroStat (2020) EuroGeographics for the administrative boundaries. Countries. Administrative Units - Dataset

Fahrig L (2017) Ecological responses to habitat fragmentation Per Se. Annu Rev ofEcology Evol Syst 48:1–23. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-ecolsys-110316-022612CrossRef

FAO (2020a) Global Forest Resources Assessment 2020: Main report. Rome

FAO (2020b) Evaluación de los recursos forestales mundiales 2020. Roma

FAO, PNUMA (2020) El estado de los bosques del mundo 2020: Los bosques, la biodiversidad y las personas. Roma

Feng Y, Xinjun C, Feng G, Yang L (2018) Impacts of changing scale on getis-ord Gi* hotspots of CPUE: a case study of the Neon Flying Squid (Ommastrephes Bartramii) in the Northwest Pacific Ocean. Acta Oceanologica Sinica 37(5):67–76

Ferrer-Paris JR, Zager I, Keith DA et al (2018) An ecosystem risk assessment of temperate and tropical forests of the Americas with an outlook on future conservation strategies. Conserv Lett 12:e12623. https://doi.org/10.1111/conl.12623CrossRef

Foltête JC, Clauzel C, Vuidel G (2012a) A software tool dedicated to the modelling of landscape networks. Environ Model Softw 38:316–327. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsoft.2012.07.002CrossRef

Foltête JC, Clauzel C, Vuidel G, Tournant P (2012b) Integrating graph-based connectivity metrics into species distribution models. Landsc Ecol 27:557–569. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10980-012-9709-4CrossRef

Food and Agriculture Organization [FAO] (2012) Global ecological zones for FAO forest reporting: 2010 update. For Resour Assess Work Pap 179:42

Françoso RD, Brandão R, Nogueira CC, Salmona YB, Machado RB, Colli GR (2015) Habitat loss and the effectiveness of protected areas in the Cerrado biodiversity hotspot. Natureza Conservação 13(1):35–40

Gobierno del Perú (2022) Reserva de Biosfera Transfronteriza Bosque de Paz. In: Serv. Nac. Áreas Nat. Protegidas por el Estado. https://www.gob.pe/institucion/sernanp/informes-publicaciones/3112964-reserva-de-biosfera-transfronteriza-bosque-de-paz. Accessed 30 Sep 2022

Guerrero-Casado J, Cedeño RI, Johnston JC, Gunther MS (2020) New records of the critically endangered Ecuadorian white-fronted capuchin (Cebus aequatorialis) detected by remote cameras. Primates 612(61):175–179. https://doi.org/10.1007/S10329-019-00787-0CrossRef

Haddad NM, Brudvig LA, Clobert J et al (2015) Habitat fragmentation and its lasting impact on Earth’s ecosystems. Sci Adv 1:e1500052. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.1500052CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

Hill SLL, Arnell A, Maney C et al (2019) Measuring forest biodiversity status and changes globally. Front For Glob Chang. https://doi.org/10.3389/FFGC.2019.00070CrossRef

Hilty J, Worboys GL, Keeley A et al (2020) Guidelines for conserving connectivity through ecological networks and corridors. IUCN, GlandCrossRef

Hoekstra JM, Boucher TM, Ricketts TH, Roberts C (2005) Confronting a biome crisis: global disparities of habitat loss and protection. Ecol Lett 8:23–29. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1461-0248.2004.00686.xCrossRef

IUCN (2022) Red list of the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature). https://www.iucnredlist.org/resources/summary-statistics. Accessed 13 Nov 2019

Janzen D (1988) Tropical dry forests. the most endangered major tropical ecosystem. Biodiversity. 15:130–137

Jaramillo JJ, Rivas CA, Oteros J, Navarro-Cerrillo RM (2023) Forest fragmentation and landscape connectivity changes in Ecuadorian mangroves: some hope for the future? Appl Sci 13:5001. https://doi.org/10.3390/APP13085001CrossRef

Keeley ATH, Beier P, Jenness JS (2021) Connectivity metrics for conservation planning and monitoring. Biol Conserv 255:109008. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2021.109008CrossRef

Kool JT, Moilanen A, Treml EA (2013) Population connectivity: recent advances and new perspectives. Landsc Ecol 28:165–185. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10980-012-9819-zCrossRef

Kuemmerle T, Baldi G, Camino M et al (2017) Forest conservation : Remember Gran Chaco. Science 80(355):465–467CrossRef

Latin American Seasonally Dry Tropical Forest Floristic Network (2022) DryFlor - welcome. http://www.dryflor.info/. Accessed 28 Sep 2022

Laurance WF, Carolina Useche D, Rendeiro J, Kalka M, Bradshaw CJA, Sloan SP et al (2012) Averting biodiversity collapse in tropical forest protected areas. Nature 489:290–293. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature11318

Law EA, Macchi L, Baumann M et al (2021) Fading opportunities for mitigating agriculture-environment trade-offs in a south American deforestation hotspot. Biol Conserv. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.BIOCON.2021.109310CrossRef

Leautaud Valenzuela P (2014) Fragmentación Forestal de la reserva monarca: cuantificación, caracterización, y correlaciones (1990–2010). Universidad nacional autónoma de México

Lemgruber LS, Maioli V, Latawiec AE et al (2021) Socioeconomic impacts of urban restoration in the Atlantic Forest. Brazil Urban for Urban Green 64:127271. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.UFUG.2021.127271CrossRef

Machado R, Godinho S, Pirnat J et al (2018) Assessment of landscape composition and configuration via spatial metrics combination: conceptual framework proposal and method improvement. Landsc Res 43:652–664. https://doi.org/10.1080/01426397.2017.1336757CrossRef

Machado R, Bayot R, Godinho S et al (2020) LDTtool: A toolbox to assess landscape dynamics. Environ Model Softw. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsoft.2020.104847CrossRef

McGarigal, Kevin; Marks BJ (1995) FRAGSTATS: Spatial Pattern Analysis Program for Quantifying Landscape Structure. :. Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-351. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station

Miles L, Newton AC, DeFries RS et al (2006) A global overview of the conservation status of tropical dry forests. J Biogeogr 33:491–505. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2699.2005.01424.xCrossRef

Myers N, Mittermeier RA, Mittermeier CG et al (2000) Biodiversity hotspots for conservation priorities. Nature 403:853–858. https://doi.org/10.1038/35002501CrossRefPubMed

Navarro-Cerrillo RM, Rivas CA, Quinto L et al (2022) Afforestation on agricultural land in southern Spain: an important driver to improve forest landscape connectivity. New for. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11056-022-09956-4CrossRef

Olson DM, Dinerstein E, Wikramanayake ED et al (2001) Terrestrial ecoregions of the world: a new map of life on Earth. Bioscience 51:933–938. https://doi.org/10.1641/0006-3568(2001)051[0933:TEOTWA]2.0.CO;2CrossRef

Ord JK, Getis A (1995) Local spatial autocorrelation statistics: distributional issues and an application. Geog Anal 27(4):286–306

Pando Ocón J, Ibanez T, Franklin J et al (2021) Global tropical dry forest extent and cover: a comparative study of bioclimatic definitions using two climatic data sets. PLoS One. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0252063CrossRef

Parr TW, Jongman RHG, Külvik M (2010) Design of a plan for an integrated biodiversity observing system in space and time The Selection of Biodiversity indicators for EBONE Development Work

Pascual-Hortal L, Saura S (2006) Comparison and development of new graph-based landscape connectivity indices: towards the priorization of habitat patches and corridors for conservation. Landsc Ecol 21:959–967. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10980-006-0013-zCrossRef

Piffer PR, Rosa MR, Tambosi LR et al (2022) Turnover rates of regenerated forests challenge restoration efforts in the Brazilian Atlantic forest. Environ Res Lett 17:045009. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/AC5AE1CrossRef

Prentice KC (1990) Bioclimatic distribution of vegetation for general circulation model studies. J Geophys Res 95:11811–11830. https://doi.org/10.1029/jd095id08p11811CrossRef

Prieto-torres DA, Nori J, Rojas-soto OR, Navarro-sigüenza AG (2021) Challenges and opportunities in planning for the conservation of Neotropical seasonally dry forests into the future. Biol Conserv 257:109083. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2021.109083CrossRef

Quimis AJ, Rivas CA, González-Moreno P, Navarro-Cerrillo RM (2023) Forest plantations in Manabí (Ecuador): assessment of fragmentation and connectivity to support dry tropical forests conservation. Appl Sci 13:6418CrossRef

Ramírez-Delgado JP, Di Marco M, Watson JEM et al (2022) Matrix condition mediates the effects of habitat fragmentation on species extinction risk. Nat Commun 13:1–10. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-28270-3CrossRef

Ratnam J, Bond WJ, Fensham RJ et al (2011) When is a ‘forest’ a savanna, and why does it matter? Glob Ecol Biogeogr 20:653–660. https://doi.org/10.1111/J.1466-8238.2010.00634.XCrossRef

Rivas CA, Navarro-Cerillo RM, Johnston JC, Guerrero-Casado J (2020) Dry forest is more threatened but less protected than evergreen forest in Ecuador’s coastal region. Environ Conserv 47:79–83. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0376892920000077CrossRef

Rivas CA, Guerrero-casado J, Navarro-cerillo RM (2021) Deforestation and fragmentation trends of seasonal dry tropical forest in Ecuador: impact on conservation. For Ecosyst. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40663-021-00329-5CrossRef

Rivas CA, Guerrero-Casado J, Navarro-Cerrillo RM (2024a) Assessment of habitat connectivity in a highly fragmented ecosystem: The seasonal tropical dry forest in Ecuador. Appl Veg Sci 27:e12770. https://doi.org/10.1111/avsc.12770

Rivas CA, Guerrero-Casado J, Navarro-Cerrillo RM (2024b) Functional connectivity across dominant forest ecosystems in Ecuador: A major challenge for a country with a high deforestation rate. J Nat Conserv 78:126549. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnc.2023.126549

Rogan JE, Lacher TE (2018) Impacts of habitat loss and fragmentation on terrestrial biodiversity. Elsevier Inc, AmsterdamCrossRef

Romanelli JP, Meli P, Santos JPB et al (2022) Biodiversity responses to restoration across the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Sci Total Environ 821:153403. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.SCITOTENV.2022.153403CrossRefPubMed

Romero-Muñoz A, Fandos G, Benítez-López A, Kuemmerle T (2021) Habitat destruction and overexploitation drive widespread declines in all facets of mammalian diversity in the Gran Chaco. Glob Chang Biol 27:755–767. https://doi.org/10.1111/GCB.15418CrossRefPubMed

Runyan CW, Stehm J (2018) Land use change, deforestation and competition for land due to food production. Elsevier

Sanchez-Azofeifa GA et al (2005) Research priorities for neotropical dry forests. Biotropica 37:477–485CrossRef

Saura S, Pascual-Hortal L (2007) A new habitat availability index to integrate connectivity in landscape conservation planning: comparison with existing indices and application to a case study. Landsc Urban Plan 83:91–103. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2007.03.005CrossRef

Saura S, Torné J (2009) Conefor Sensinode 2.2: a software package for quantifying the importance of habitat patches for landscape connectivity. Environ Model Softw 24:135–139. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsoft.2008.05.005CrossRef

Saura S, Estreguil C, Mouton C, Rodríguez-Freire M (2010) Network analysis to assess landscape connectivity trends: application to European forests (1990–2000). Ecol Indic 11:407–416. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2010.06.011CrossRef

Sayre R, Bow J, Josse C et al (2008) Terrestrial ecosystems of South America. North Am L Cover Summit 4:131–152

Schmidt M (2008) The Sankey diagram in energy and material flow management. J Ind Ecol 12:82–94. https://doi.org/10.1111/J.1530-9290.2008.00004.XCrossRef

Schmitt CB, Burgess ND, Coad L et al (2009) Global analysis of the protection status of the world’s forests. Biol Conserv 142:2122–2130. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2009.04.012CrossRef

Siyum ZG (2020) Tropical dry forest dynamics in the context of climate change: syntheses of drivers, gaps, and management perspectives. Ecol Process. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13717-020-00229-6CrossRef

Solórzano CB, Intriago-Alcívar L, Guerrero-Casado J (2021) Comparison between terrestrial mammals in evergreen forests and in seasonal dry forests in Western Ecuador : should efforts be focused on dry forests? Mammalia 85:306–314. https://doi.org/10.1515/mammalia-2020-0145CrossRef

Stickler CM, Coe MT, Costa MH et al (2013) Dependence of hydropower energy generation on forests in the Amazon Basin at local and regional scales. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 110:9601–9606. https://doi.org/10.1073/PNAS.1215331110/SUPPL_FILE/PNAS.201215331SI.PDFCrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

Sunderland T, Apgaua D, Baldauf C et al (2015) Global dry forests: a prologue. Int for Rev 17:1–9. https://doi.org/10.1505/146554815815834813CrossRef

Taubert F, Fischer R, Groeneveld J et al (2018) Global patterns of tropical forest fragmentation. Nature 554:519–522. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature25508CrossRefPubMed

Thompson JJ, Velilla M, Cabral H et al (2016) Jaguar (Panthera onca) population density and landscape connectivity in a deforestation hotspot: the Paraguayan Dry Chaco as a case study. Perspect Ecol Conserv 1:1–11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pecon.2022.09.001CrossRef

TNC (The Nature Conservancy) (2005) Evaluacion ecorregional del Gran Chaco Americano. Buenos Aires

Trejo I, Dirzo R (2000) Deforestation of seasonally dry forest: a national and local analysis in Mexico. Biol Conserv 94:133–142

UNEP (2017) Emerging Issues of Environmental Concern. United Nations Environ Program Nairobi 1–58

UNEP-WCMC and IUCN (2023) Protected Planet: The World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA) and World Database on Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (WD-OECM). www.protectedplanet.net.

Urban D, Keitt T (2001) Landscape connectivity : a graph-theoretic perspective. Ecology 82:1205–1218CrossRef

van Der Hoek Y (2017) The potential of protected areas to halt deforestation in Ecuador. Environ Conserv 44(2):124–130.

Visconti P, Elkin C (2009) Using connectivity metrics in conservation planning - When does habitat quality matter? Divers Distrib 15:602–612. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1472-4642.2009.00564.xCrossRef

Wuerthner G, Crist E, Butler T (eds) (2015) Protecting the wild:Parks and wilderness, the foundation for conservation. Island Press

WWF (2021) Frentes de deforestación causas y respuestas en un mundo cambiante. Resumen, Gland

Title: Forest fragmentation and connectivity in South American dry forests
Authors: Carlos A. Rivas
Rafael M. Navarro-Cerrillo
Publication date: 06-08-2024
Publisher: Springer Netherlands
Published in: Biodiversity and Conservation / Issue 11/2024
Print ISSN: 0960-3115
Electronic ISSN: 1572-9710
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-024-02894-x

Using joint species distribution modelling to predict distributions of seafloor taxa and identify vulnerable marine ecosystems in New Zealand waters

Open Access
Original Research

Conservation of the diversity of shade-tolerant plants of agricultural mosaics in the eastern Amazon

Original Research

Social and biological impact of oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) plantations in the Eastern Brazilian Amazon

Original Research

Identifying remnant biodiversity hotspots in Southern Asia reveals disequilibrium in mammalian communities

Open Access
Original Research

The influence of conservation policies and legislations on communities in Tanzania

Open Access
Original Research

Plant species richness in intensively managed temperate wet grasslands: current state and the importance of edge habitats

Open Access
Original Research