Prolonged seasonal drought affects most of the tropics, including vast areas presently or recently dominated by 'dry forests'. These forests have received scant attention, despite the fact that humans have used and changed them more than rain forests. This volume reviews the available information, often making contrasts with wetter forests. The world's dry forest heterogeneity of structure and function is shown regionally. In the neotropics, biogeographic patterns differ from those of wet forests, as does the spectrum of plant life-forms in terms of structure, physiology, phenology and reproduction. Biomass distribution, nutrient cycling, below-ground dynamics and nitrogen gas emission are also reviewed. Exploitation schemes are surveyed, and examples are given of non-timber product economies. It is hoped that this review will stimulate research leading to more conservative and productive management of dry forests.
1. Introduction Harold A. Mooney, Stephen H. Bullock and Ernesto Medina; 2. Dry forests of Central America and the Caribbean Peter G. Murphy and Ariel E. Lugo; 3. Overview of the Brazilian caastinga Evetrardo V. S. B. Sampaio; 4. Savannas, woodlands and dry forests in Africa J. C. Menaut, M. Lepage and L. Abbadie; 5. Dry forest ecosystems of Thailand Philip W. Rundel and Kansri Boonpragob; 6. The Cenozoic record of tropical dry forest in northern Latin America and the southern United States Alan Graham and David Dilcher; 7. Diversity and floristic composition of neotropical dry forests Alwyn H. Gentry; 8. Vertebrate diversity, ecology and conservation in neotropical dry forests Gerardo Ceballos; 9. Diversity of life forms of higher plants in neotropical dry forests Ernesto Medina; 10. Drought responses of neotropical dry forest trees N. Michele Holbrook, Julie L. Whitbeck and H. A. Mooney; 11. Plant reproduction in neotropical dry forests Stephen H. Bullock; 12. Plant-herbivore interactions in Mesoamerican tropical dry forests Rodolfo Dirzo and César A. Domínguez; 13. Biomas distribution and primary productivity of tropical dry forests Angelina Martínez-Yrízar.
Overview
Prolonged seasonal drought affects most of the tropics, including vast areas presently or recently dominated by 'dry forests'. These forests have received scant attention, despite the fact that humans have used and changed them more than rain forests. This volume reviews the available information, often making contrasts with wetter forests. The world's dry forest heterogeneity of structure and function is shown regionally. In the neotropics, biogeographic patterns differ from those of wet forests, as does the ...