Squamata reptiles of a fragment of tropical dry forest in northwestern Venezuela (Lake Maracaibo region)

We present a commented taxonomic list of the reptiles found during herpetological surveys carried out in an isolated fragment of tropical dry forest located in the municipality of San Francisco, Zulia state, northwestern Venezuela between January-December 2011. We report a total of 24 species belonging to the order Squamata, distributed in 12 families and 21 genera. Colubridae is the most diverse family with six species, followed by Dipsadidae (four species), Boidae, Gymnophthalmidae, Phyllodactylidae and Teiidae with two species each, and finally Dactyloidae, Iguanidae, Elapidae, Gekkonidae, Sphaerodactylidae and Viperidae with a single species each. The species composition at this site matches what would be expected in a tropical dry forest in the region. Our study suggests that this isolated tropical dry forest fragment is the last refuge of the herpetofauna that once occupied much of the dry forests of the northern Maracaibo basin and should therefore be considered for conservation purposes.

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Contributions of organic matter and nutrients via leaf litter in an urban tropical dry forest fragment

Revista de Biología Tropical ◽

10.15517/rbt.v66i2.33381 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 66 (2) ◽

pp. 571 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Jeiner Castellanos-Barliza ◽

Juan Diego León-Peláez ◽

Rosalba Armenta-Martínez ◽

Willinton Barranco-Pérez ◽

William Caicedo-Ruíz

Keyword(s):

Organic Matter ◽

Leaf Litter ◽

Tropical Dry Forest ◽

Soil Surface ◽

Dry Forest ◽

Litter Production ◽

Forest Fragment ◽

Litter Bags ◽

One Year ◽

Degraded Ecosystems

The litterfall and decomposition represent the main transfer of organic matter and nutrients from the vegetation to the soil surface and determine positive trajectories in the process of rehabilitating and restoring degraded ecosystems. The aim of this study was to evaluate the contributions of organic materials and nutrients through the characterization of fine litter in an urban dry forest fragment. Litter production was monitored for one year by collecting 29 traps (0.5 m2). To evaluate leaf nutrient resorption, green leaves were collected from 5-10 individuals that represented the dominant tree species. Litter-bags (20 x 20 cm, 2 mm pore) were used for six months to evaluate the decomposition of leaf litter. Annual fine litter production was found to be 8 574 kg ha-1, with the Cordia alba species contributing the most leaf litter (1 134 kg ha-1) and nutrients (N: 6.16; P: 0.21; Ca: 4.72; Mg: 0.47; K: 1.27 kg ha-1). Decomposition rates (k constant) followed the decreasing order: C. alba (k: 4.6) > Machaerium milleflorum (k: 3.5). M. milleflorum and Albizia niopoides presented a pattern of rapid N and P release in the first 30 days, with more than 80 % and 60 % released from M. milleflorum and C. alba, respectively, by the end of the experiment. The litterfall monitoring carried out in this urban dry forest fragment revealed some important aspects of the functioning of an ecosystem as seriously threatened as the tropical dry forest. Rev. Biol. Trop. 66(2): 571-585. Epub 2018 June 01.

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The Effects of Forest Fragment Age, Isolation, Size, Habitat Type, and Water Availability on Monkey Density in a Tropical Dry Forest

Developments in Primatology: Progress and Prospects - New Perspectives in the Study of Mesoamerican Primates ◽

10.1007/0-387-25872-8_8 ◽

2006 ◽

pp. 165-188 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Holly Noelle DeGama-Blanchet ◽

Linda Marie Fedigan

Keyword(s):

Water Availability ◽

Tropical Dry Forest ◽

Habitat Type ◽

Dry Forest ◽

Forest Fragment

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Multiple Factors Influence Seasonal and Interannual Litterfall Production in a Tropical Dry Forest in Mexico

Forests ◽

10.3390/f11121241 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 (12) ◽

pp. 1241

Author(s):

Hernán Morffi-Mestre ◽

Gregorio Ángeles-Pérez ◽

Jennifer S. Powers ◽

José Luis Andrade ◽

Astrid Helena Huechacona Ruiz ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Linear Models ◽

Tropical Dry Forest ◽

Basal Area ◽

Dry Forest ◽

Maximum Temperature ◽

Dry Forests ◽

Evergreen Species ◽

Flat Terrain ◽

Litterfall Production ◽

Successional Age

Litterfall production plays a fundamental role in the dynamics and function of tropical forest ecosystems, as it supplies 70–80% of nutrients entering the soil. This process varies annually and seasonally, depending on multiple environmental factors. However, few studies spanning several years have addressed the combined effect of climate variables, successional age, topography, and vegetation structure in tropical dry forests. In this study, we evaluated monthly, seasonal, and annual litterfall production over a five-year period in semideciduous dry forests of different successional ages growing on contrasting topographic conditions (sloping or flat terrain) in Yucatan, Mexico. Its relationship with climate and vegetation structural variables were also analyzed using multiple linear regression and generalized linear models. Litterfall was measured monthly in 12 litterfall traps of 0.5 m2 in three sampling clusters (sets of four 400 m2 sampling plots) established in forests of five successional age classes, 3–5, 10–17, 18–25, 60–79, and >80 years (in the latter two classes either on slopping or on flat terrain), for a total of 15 sampling clusters and 180 litterfall traps. Litterfall production varied between years (negatively correlated with precipitation), seasons (positively correlated with wind speed and maximum temperature), and months (negatively correlated with relative humidity) and was higher in flat than in sloping sites. Litterfall production also increased with successional age until 18–25 years after abandonment, when it attained values similar to those of mature forests. It was positively correlated with the aboveground biomass of deciduous species but negatively correlated with the basal area of evergreen species. Our results show a rapid recovery of litterfall production with successional age of these forests, which may increase with climate changes such as less precipitation, higher temperatures, and higher incidence of hurricanes.

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Distribution of the community of frugivorous birds along a successional gradient in a tropical dry forest in south-western Mexico

Journal of Tropical Ecology ◽

10.1017/s0266467414000601 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 31 (1) ◽

pp. 57-68 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

R. Carlos Almazán-Núñez ◽

María del Coro Arizmendi ◽

Luis E. Eguiarte ◽

Pablo Corcuera

Keyword(s):

Tropical Dry Forest ◽

Dry Season ◽

Dry Forest ◽

Forest Fragments ◽

Dry Forests ◽

Bird Abundance ◽

Frugivorous Birds ◽

Seed Predators ◽

Western Mexico ◽

Successional Forests

Abstract:Few reports have described the relationship between the distribution of frugivorous birds and vegetation successional changes in dry forests. We assessed the abundance and behaviour of frugivorous birds in early, intermediate and mature dry forests in the Balsas river basin, Guerrero, Mexico. We selected nine dry-forest fragments, three fragments per stage, in these three stages of succession. We analysed the vegetation, estimated bird abundances in 10-min count periods, and recorded the way birds process fruits in circular plots (11–15 plots per fragment, 123 plots in total). Birds were classified as seed predators (15% of all individuals in this study), pulp consumers (15%) or legitimate dispersers (70%). Bird abundance was higher in mature forests in the dry season, while abundance and richness of legitimate dispersers and seed predators were positively related to vegetation complexity. Mature forests have a high vegetation complexity and a high cover ofBurseraspecies that produce fruit during the dry season. During the rains, abundance was higher in early-successional sites when the zoochorous plants produced fruit. Legitimate disperser migrants (i.e.Tyrannus vociferans, Myiarchus cinerascensandM. tyrannulus) were widespread, helping the establishment of zoochorous trees such asBurseraspp. in early-successional forests.

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GERMINATION OF STORED SEEDS OF FOUR TREE SPECIES FROM THE TROPICAL DRY FOREST OF MORELOS, MEXICO

Botanical Sciences ◽

10.17129/botsci.96 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 92 (2) ◽

pp. 281 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Martha Cervantes ◽

Eliane Ceccon ◽

Consuelo Bonfil

Keyword(s):

Seed Germination ◽

Seed Size ◽

Storage Time ◽

Germination Rate ◽

Tropical Dry Forest ◽

Dry Forest ◽

Tropical Dry Forests ◽

Germination Capacity ◽

Dry Forests ◽

And Storage

Studies on propagation of trees of Tropical Dry Forests are scarce in Mexico, besides, the provenance of seeds used in reforestation programs is generally unknown or poorly addressed. Knowledge on seed germination patterns of different provenances, and how they change through time, is useful to identify adequate sources of seeds and to develop seed collection and storage programs under the low-tech conditions prevailing in most rural nurseries. We evaluated seed size variation and germination of stored seeds from three different provenances per species in Acacia bilimekii, Haematoxylum brasiletto, Lysiloma acapulcense, and L. divaricatum. Seeds were collected in four sites in the Tropical Dry Forest of Morelos, Mexico, and were stored at room temperature; seed size was estimated through the volume of 75 seeds per provenance/species. Seed germination tests were made periodically from six to 24 months after storage and the effects of provenance and storage time on germination were analyzed using Anovas. There were significant differences in seed size among provenances in all species, while the effect of provenance on germination rate was significant in three of them. Germination rate changed with storage time among species and provenances. After 24 months, germination capacity was still ≥ 50% in all provenances of the two Lysiloma species, but in A. bilimekii there were large differences among provenances. Mean germination capacity was low in H. brasiletto after six months. More research on seed germination and storage of a larger set of species and provenances is needed to restore the Mexican tropical dry forests.

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Effect of fragmentation on the Costa Rican dry forest avifauna

PeerJ ◽

10.7717/peerj.2422 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 4 ◽

pp. e2422 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Gilbert Barrantes ◽

Diego Ocampo ◽

José D. Ramírez-Fernández ◽

Eric J. Fuchs

Keyword(s):

Tropical Dry Forest ◽

Bird Community ◽

Dry Season ◽

Costa Rican ◽

Dry Forest ◽

Forest Fragment ◽

Avian Community ◽

Forest Patches ◽

Species Occupancy ◽

Avian Assemblages

Deforestation and changes in land use have reduced the tropical dry forest to isolated forest patches in northwestern Costa Rica. We examined the effect of patch area and length of the dry season on nestedness of the entire avian community, forest fragment assemblages, and species occupancy across fragments for the entire native avifauna, and for a subset of forest dependent species. Species richness was independent of both fragment area and distance between fragments. Similarity in bird community composition between patches was related to habitat structure; fragments with similar forest structure have more similar avian assemblages. Size of forest patches influenced nestedness of the bird community and species occupancy, but not nestedness of assemblages across patches in northwestern Costa Rican avifauna. Forest dependent species (species that require large tracts of mature forest) and assemblages of these species were nested within patches ordered by a gradient of seasonality, and only occupancy of species was nested by area of patches. Thus, forest patches with a shorter dry season include more forest dependent species.

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Spatial Estimation of the Latent Heat Flux in a Tropical Dry Forest by Using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Forests ◽

10.3390/f11060604 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 (6) ◽

pp. 604 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Philip Marzahn ◽

Linda Flade ◽

Arturo Sanchez-Azofeifa

Keyword(s):

Heat Flux ◽

Latent Heat ◽

Latent Heat Flux ◽

Tropical Dry Forest ◽

Dry Forest ◽

Tropical Dry Forests ◽

Dry Forests ◽

Flux Tower ◽

Spatially Distributed ◽

Triangle Method

In this paper, we address the retrieval of spatially distributed latent heat flux ( λ E) over a tropical dry forest using multi-spectral and thermal unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) imagery. The study was carried out in the Santa Rosa National Park Environmental Monitoring Super-Site, Costa Rica, in June 2016. The triangle method was used to derive λ E from the UAV imagery and the results were compared to λ E measurements of an eddy covariance system within the coincident eddy flux tower footprint. The tower footprint was derived using a two-dimensional parameterization model for flux footprint prediction. The comparisons with the flux tower measurements showed a mean relative difference of 10.98% with a slight overestimation of the UAV-based flux retrievals by nearly 7.7 Wm − 2 . The results are in good agreement with satellite-based retrievals, as provided by the literature, for which the triangle method was initially developed and mostly used so far. This study proved to be a promising approach for transferring the triangle method to UAV imagery in ecosystems such as tropical dry forests. With the presented approach, new details in spatially distributed latent heat flux estimates at ultra-high resolution are now possible, thereby potentially closing the gap in spatial resolution between satellites and flux towers. Even more, it allows tracing the latent heat flux from single trees at leaf level. Besides, this approach also opens new perspectives for the monitoring of latent heat fluxes in tropical dry forests.

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Lepidoptera are Relevant Bioindicators of Passive Regeneration in Tropical Dry Forests

Diversity ◽

10.3390/d12060231 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (6) ◽

pp. 231 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Luc Legal ◽

Marine Valet ◽

Oscar Dorado ◽

Jose Maria de Jesus-Almonte ◽

Karime López ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Anthropogenic Disturbance ◽

Tropical Dry Forest ◽

Dry Forest ◽

Tropical Dry Forests ◽

Primary Forest ◽

Dry Forests ◽

Study Zone ◽

Butterfly Communities ◽

Passive Regeneration ◽

Different Levels

Most evaluations of passive regeneration/natural succession or restoration have dealt with tropical rain forest or temperate ecosystems. Very few studies have examined the regeneration of tropical dry forests (TDF), one of the most damaged ecosystem types in the world. Owing to their species diversity and abundance, insects have been widely used as bioindicators of restoration. Butterflies were among the most abundant and useful groups. We sampled four sites with different levels of anthropogenic disturbance in a Mexican TDF (Morelos State) and compared butterfly communities. A first goal was to examine whether adult butterflies were significant bioindicators owing to their specificity to restricted habitats. A second aim was to determine if differences exist in butterfly communities between some fields abandoned from 4–8, 8–15 and 15–30 years and a reference zone considered as primary forest. We found 40% to 50% of the species of butterflies were specifically related to a habitat and/or a level of anthropogenic disturbance. The time it takes for passive regeneration and recovery of the Mexican tropical dry forest is much higher than 25 years (our older zone), considering that almost none of the butterflies found in our conserved reference zone were present in our 25 year aged study zone.

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COMPOSICIÓN VEGETAL, PREFERENCIAS ALIMENTICIAS Y ABUNDANCIA DE BIBLIDINAE (LEPIDOPTERA: NYMPHALIDAE) EN UN FRAGMENTO DE BOSQUE SECO TROPICAL EN EL DEPARTAMENTO DEL ATLÁNTICO, COLOMBIA

Acta Biológica Colombiana ◽

10.15446/abc.v20n3.42545 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 20 (3) ◽

pp. 79-92 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

María Angélica VARGAS- ZAPATA ◽

Carlos José BOOM- URUETA ◽

Leidys Isabel SEÑA-RAMOS ◽

Alba Lucia ECHEVERRY-IGLESIAS ◽

Neis José MARTÍNEZ HERNÁNDEZ

Keyword(s):

Woody Plants ◽

Tropical Dry Forest ◽

Basal Area ◽

Dry Forest ◽

Forest Fragment ◽

Plant Composition ◽

Components Analysis ◽

Spatio Temporal ◽

Determining Factor

Se analizó la variación espacio-temporal de la abundancia de las mariposas de la subfamilia Biblidinae (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) en un fragmento de Bs-T en la Reserva Campesina La Montaña (RCM), Atlántico, Colombia; desde enero hasta agosto de 2011. Se marcaron cuatro puntos dentro del área de estudio, donde se ubicaron trampas Van Someren–Rydon cebadas con calamar en descomposición, fruta fermentada y con una mezcla de los anteriores cebos. Adicionalmente, se realizó una caracterización de la vegetación por punto, para lo cual se tomaron datos de diámetro a la altura del pecho (DAP), altura y tamaño de la copa para todas aquellas plantas leñosas con DAP mayor o igual a 2,5 cm. Se capturaron 76 individuos agrupados en seis especies y cuatro géneros; destacándose Hamadryas februa (Hübner) como la más dominante con 32 individuos. El mes de marzo presentó la mayor riqueza y abundancia (6 especies y 25 individuos) durantes las primeras lluvias en la zona. El punto 3 presentó los valores más altos de diversidad y abundancia de Biblidinae (5 especies y 37 individuos) y la mayor densidad de árboles (D= 0,28 individuos/m2). Se demuestra que la estructura de este grupo de mariposas presenta un patrón temporal y espacial en esta reserva. El análisis de componentes principales demostró que el área basal total (ABT) y la Densidad (D) de plantas leñosas, pueden considerarse como un factor determinante en la distribución y abundancia de las especies de la subfamilia Biblidinae en la RCM.Plant Composition, Feeding Preferences and Abundance of Biblidinae (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) in a Tropical Dry Forest Fragment in the Department of Atlántico, ColombiaThe abundance and spatio-temporal variation of butterflies of the Biblidinae subfamily (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) in a fragment of Tropical dry forest at the Reserva Campesina La Montaña (RCM), Atlántico, Colombia; from January until August 2011, was analyzed. Within the study area four points were marked; Van Someren-Rydon traps were placed.in each point using rotten squid, fermented fruit and a mixture of both as bait. In addition, a characterization of the vegetation by point was performed, taking data of the diameter to the breast height (DBH), height and size of treetop of all woody plants with a DBH greater than or equal to 2.5 cm. In total 76 butterfly individuals grouped in six species and four genera were captured; being Hamadryas februa (Hübner) the most dominant with 32 individuals. The greatest richness and abundance was recorded in March (6 species and 25 individuals), during the first rains in the study area. The point 3 presented the highest values of diversity and abundance (five species and 37 individuals) of Biblidinae and the higher density of trees (D= 0,28 individuals/m2). The structure of this butterflies group presents a spatio-temporal pattern in this reserve. The principal components analysis showed that the total basal area (ABT) and the density (D) of woody plants, can be considered a determining factor in the distribution and abundance of species of the subfamily Biblidinae at the RCM.

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Vegetation patterns and species-filtering effects of soil in secondary succession in a tropical dry forest in central Myanmar

Journal of Tropical Ecology ◽

10.1017/s026646741600002x ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 32 (2) ◽

pp. 116-124 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Bo Sann ◽

Mamoru Kanzaki ◽

Seiichi Ohta

Keyword(s):

Soil Properties ◽

Secondary Succession ◽

Tropical Dry Forest ◽

Basal Area ◽

Single Species ◽

Dry Forest ◽

Vegetation Patterns ◽

Total Density ◽

Soil Hardness ◽

Acacia Catechu

Abstract:We studied the vegetation and soil properties of a dry forest that had once been disturbed in central Myanmar using 30 quadrats (20 × 20 m) established in 2012. For 30 species, the overall density was 706 individuals ha−1, and the basal area was 2.92 m2ha−1. The forest was a mosaic of six community types, each of which was dominated by a single species. Dominant species that were capable of resprouting accounted for 47–78% of the total density and 56–83% of the basal area of the communities. We related seven soil properties to the vegetation patterns using canonical correspondence analysis (CCA). The CCA results highlighted remarkable associations of species such asAcacia catechu, Dalbergia paniculata, Terminalia oliveriandMillettia multiflorawith soil texture.Acacia inopinatawas associated with a high soil pH (i.e. 9–10), andTerminalia tomentosawas associated with soil hardness. Our results indicate that secondary succession of a dry forest is not initially led by pioneer species, but instead, by superior competitors capable of resprouting, and that species distributions are primarily determined by the filtering effects of edaphic conditions. We believe that the dry-forest species retain their soil–species relationships despite heavy disturbances.

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