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Ecology of Tropical Dry Forest

Ecology of Tropical Dry Forest According to the Holdridge system of life zone classification (42), dry tropical and subtropical forests and woodlands occur in frost-free areas where the mean annual biotemperature is higher than rainfall is 17°C, where mean annual 250-2000 mm, and where the annual ratio of potential evapotranspiration (PET) to precipitation (P) exceeds unity. The many types of woodland and forest ecosystems that fall within this climatic envelope are widespread, usually transitional between semidesert or savanna and moist forest. About 40% of the earth's tropical and subtropical landmass is dominated by open or closed forest. Of this, 42% is dry forest, 33% is moist forest, and only 25% is wet and rain forest (sensu Holdridge, 42; 15). We will never know the or t horn woodlands are thought to be derived from disturbed dry forest. true original or potential extent of dry forest because many savannas and scrub Walter (1lO), for example, considers most or all of the grassland in India to have been derived from seasonal or dry forest. Some of the processes that cause this conversion are addressed later in this review. The largest proportion of dry forest ecosystems is in Africa and the world's tropical islands, where they http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics Annual Reviews

Ecology of Tropical Dry Forest

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References (95)

Publisher
Annual Reviews
Copyright
Copyright 1986 Annual Reviews. All rights reserved
Subject
Review Articles
ISSN
0066-4162
DOI
10.1146/annurev.es.17.110186.000435
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

According to the Holdridge system of life zone classification (42), dry tropical and subtropical forests and woodlands occur in frost-free areas where the mean annual biotemperature is higher than rainfall is 17°C, where mean annual 250-2000 mm, and where the annual ratio of potential evapotranspiration (PET) to precipitation (P) exceeds unity. The many types of woodland and forest ecosystems that fall within this climatic envelope are widespread, usually transitional between semidesert or savanna and moist forest. About 40% of the earth's tropical and subtropical landmass is dominated by open or closed forest. Of this, 42% is dry forest, 33% is moist forest, and only 25% is wet and rain forest (sensu Holdridge, 42; 15). We will never know the or t horn woodlands are thought to be derived from disturbed dry forest. true original or potential extent of dry forest because many savannas and scrub Walter (1lO), for example, considers most or all of the grassland in India to have been derived from seasonal or dry forest. Some of the processes that cause this conversion are addressed later in this review. The largest proportion of dry forest ecosystems is in Africa and the world's tropical islands, where they

Journal

Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics – Annual Reviews

Published: Nov 1, 1986

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