Tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests

2025-08-13T12:13:43Z

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{{short description|Biome}}
[[File:Biome_map_02.svg|thumb|right|310px|Extent of dry forest regions.]]

The '''tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forest''' is a [[habitat (ecology)|habitat type]] defined by the [[World Wide Fund for Nature]] and is located at tropical and subtropical latitudes.<ref name=wwf>{{CC-notice|bysa3}} {{cite web |url=http://wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/ecoregions/about/habitat_types/selecting_terrestrial_ecoregions/habitat02.cfm |title=Tropical and Subtropical Dry Broadleaf Forest Ecoregions |author=World Wide Fund for Nature|access-date=2012-09-25 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120425205410/http://wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/ecoregions/about/habitat_types/selecting_terrestrial_ecoregions/habitat02.cfm |archive-date=2012-04-25 }}</ref> Though these forests occur in climates that are warm year-round, and may receive several hundred millimeters of rain per year, they have long [[dry season]]s that last several months and vary with geographic location. These seasonal [[droughts]] have great impact on all living things in the forest.

[[Deciduous]] trees predominate in most of these forests, and during the drought a leafless period occurs, which varies with species type. Because trees lose moisture through their leaves, the shedding of leaves allows trees such as [[teak]] and [[mountain ebony]] to conserve water during dry periods. The newly bare trees open up the [[canopy (forest)|canopy]] layer, enabling [[sunlight]] to reach ground level and facilitate the growth of thick [[underbrush]]. Trees on moister sites and those with access to ground water tend to be [[evergreen]]. Infertile sites also tend to support evergreen trees. Three tropical dry forest ecoregions, the [[East Deccan dry evergreen forests]], the [[Sri Lanka dry-zone dry evergreen forests]], and the [[Southeastern Indochina dry evergreen forests]], are characterized by evergreen trees.<ref name=wwf/>

Though less biologically diverse than [[rainforest]]s, tropical dry forests are home to a wide variety of wildlife including [[monkey]]s, [[deer]], large [[cat]]s, [[parrot]]s, various [[rodent]]s, and ground dwelling [[bird]]s. Mammalian [[biomass (ecology)|biomass]] tends to be higher in dry forests than in rain forests, especially in Asian and African dry forests. Many of these [[species]] display extraordinary adaptations to the difficult [[climate]].<ref name=wwf/>

This biome is alternately known as the '''tropical and subtropical dry forest''' biome or the '''tropical and subtropical deciduous forest''' biome.

==Geographical variation==
{{see also|Global_200#Tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests}}
[[File:Chacachacare dry forest 3.JPG|thumb|left|[[Trinidad and Tobago dry forests|Trinidad and Tobago dry forest]] on [[Chacachacare]] showing the dry-season deciduous nature of the vegetation]]
Dry forests tend to exist in the drier areas north and south of the [[tropical rainforest]] belt, south or north of the subtropical deserts, generally in two bands: one between 10° and 20°N [[latitude]] and the other between 10° and 20°S [[latitude]]. The most diverse dry forests in the world occur in western and southern [[Mexico]] and in the [[Bolivia]]n lowlands.<ref>{{cite book|last=Gentry|first=A|year=1993|chapter=Diversity and floristic composition of Neotropical dry forests|pages=146–194|editor-first1=H|editor-last1=Mooney|editor-first2=S|editor-last2=Bullock|editor-first3=E|editor-last3=Medina|title=Tropical deciduous forest ecosystems|publisher=Cambridge University Press|location=Cambridge, UK}}</ref> The dry forests of the [[Pacific Coast]] of northwestern [[South America]] support a wealth of unique species due to their dry climate. The [[Maputaland-Pondoland bushland and thickets]] along the east coast of [[South Africa]] are diverse and support many [[Endemic (ecology)|endemic]] species. The dry forests of central [[India]] and [[Indochina]] are notable for their diverse large [[vertebrate]] [[Fauna (animals)|faunas]]. [[Madagascar dry deciduous forests]] and [[New Caledonia dry forests]] are also highly distinctive (pronounced [[endemic (ecology)|endemism]] and a large number of [[relictual taxa]]) for a wide range of taxa and at higher [[taxonomy (biology)|taxonomic levels]].<ref name=wwf/> Trees use underground water during the dry seasons.

==Biodiversity patterns and requirements==
[[File:Subtropical semi-evergreen seasonal forest in Northern Thailand.JPG|thumb|Subtropical semi-evergreen seasonal forest in [[Doi Inthanon National Park]], [[Northern Thailand]], at the end of the dry season.]]
Species tend to have wider ranges than [[moist forest]] species, although in some regions many species do display highly restricted ranges; most dry forest species are restricted to tropical dry forests, particularly in plants; [[beta diversity]] and [[alpha diversity]] high but typically lower than adjacent moist forests.<ref name=wwf/>

Effective conservation of dry broadleaf forests requires the preservation of large and continuous areas of forest. Large natural areas are required to maintain larger [[predator]]s and other [[vertebrates]], and to buffer sensitive species from [[hunting]] pressure. The persistence of [[riparian forest]]s and water sources is critical for many dry forest species. Large swathes of [[intact forest]] are required to allow species to recover from occasional large events, like forest fires.<ref name=wwf/>

Dry forests are highly sensitive to excessive burning and [[deforestation]]; [[overgrazing]] and [[invasive species]] can also quickly alter natural communities; restoration is possible but challenging, particularly if degradation has been intense and persistent.<ref name=wwf/>

==Ecoregions==

===Afrotropical realm===

* [[Cape Verde Islands dry forests]]
* [[Madagascar dry deciduous forests]]
* [[Zambezian cryptosepalum dry forests]]

===Australasian realm===

* [[Lesser Sundas deciduous forests]]
* [[New Caledonia dry forests]]
* [[Sumba deciduous forests]]
* [[Timor and Wetar deciduous forests]]

===Indomalayan realm===

* [[Central Deccan Plateau dry deciduous forests]]
* [[Central Indochina dry forests]]
* [[Chota Nagpur Plateau]]
* [[East Deccan dry evergreen forests]]
* [[Pai Forest]]
* [[Irrawaddy dry forests]]
* [[Khathiar–Gir dry deciduous forests]]
* [[Narmada Valley dry deciduous forests]]
* [[Northern dry deciduous forests]]
* [[South Deccan Plateau dry deciduous forests]]
* [[Southeastern Indochina dry evergreen forests]]
* [[Southern Vietnam lowland dry forests]]
* [[Sri Lanka dry-zone dry evergreen forests]]

===Nearctic realm===

* [[Sonoran-Sinaloan transition subtropical dry forest]]

===Neotropical realm===

* [[Apure–Villavicencio dry forests]]
* [[Atlantic dry forests]]
* [[Bahamian dry forests]]
* [[Bajío dry forests]]
* [[Balsas dry forests]]
* [[Bolivian montane dry forests]]
* [[Cayman Islands dry forests]]
* [[Central American dry forests]]
* [[Chiapas Depression dry forests]]
* [[Chiquitano dry forests]]
* [[Cuban dry forests]]
* [[Ecuadorian dry forests]]
* [[Gran Chaco]]
* [[Hispaniolan dry forests]]
* [[Jalisco dry forests]]
* [[Jamaican dry forests]]
* [[Lara–Falcón dry forests]]
* [[Leeward Islands dry forests]]
* [[Magdalena Valley dry forests]]
* [[Maracaibo dry forests]]
* [[Marañón dry forests]]
* [[Panamanian dry forests]]
* [[Patía Valley dry forests]]
* [[Puerto Rican dry forests]]
* [[Revillagigedo Islands]]
* [[Sierra de la Laguna dry forests]]
* [[Sinaloan dry forests]]
* [[Sinú Valley dry forests]]
* [[Southern Pacific dry forests]]
* [[Trinidad and Tobago dry forests]]
* [[Tumbes–Piura dry forests]]
* [[Veracruz dry forests]]
* [[Windward Islands dry forests]]
* [[Yucatán dry forests]]

===Oceanian realm===

* [[Fiji tropical dry forests]]
* [[Hawaiian tropical dry forests]]
* [[Marianas tropical dry forests]]
* [[Yap tropical dry forests]]

==See also==
* [[Holdridge life zones in Guatemala]]
* [[Seasonal tropical forest]]
* [[Tropical vegetation]]

==References==
{{reflist}}
{{refbegin}}
*{{cite news|url=https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/01/060112035906.htm|date=2006-01-13|newspaper=Science Daily|title=Deep-rooted Plants Have Much Greater Impact On Climate Than Experts Thought}}
{{refend}}

==External links==
* {{commons-inline}}
* [http://www.costarica21.com/Tropical-Dry-Forest.html The Tropical Dry Forest of Costa Rica]

{{Biomes}}
{{Portal bar|Ecology|Trees|Environment|Earth sciences}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Tropical And Subtropical Dry Broadleaf Forests}}
[[Category:Tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests| ]]
[[Category:Terrestrial biomes]]
[[Category:Forests]]
[[Category:Tropical flora|D]]

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Tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests