Why is tropical dry forest so important?
Tropical dry forests used to be one of the most common forest types in the neotropics. Now less than two percent of tropical dry forests remain. Of the remaining two percent, most of the forests are fragmented sections of secondary growth with very little old growth forests remaining. Losing this biome would result in the extinctions of many endemic plant species as "[d]iversity of plant life-forms appears to be greater in dry than in wet forests" (Bullock et al, pg. 3).
Where did all the forests go?
Most of the areas where the dry forests were have been purchased for the agricultural industry, namely for cattle ranching and soybean farming. Cattle ranching has a strong negative impact on the dry forests due to this forest type being easier for people to clear for pasture. As the agricultural industry has increased its production to match the rising population pressures, more natural resources have been consumed leading to more environmental impacts.
Sources:
- Bullock, Stephen H. et al. Seasonally Dry Tropical Forests. Cambridge University Press, 1995.