A call to action for climate change research on Caribbean dry forests
Published in Regional Environmental Change, 2018
Recommended citation: Nelson, H.P., Devenish-Nelson, E.S., Rusk, B.L., Geary, M. and Lawrence, A.J., 2018. A call to action for climate change research on Caribbean dry forests. Regional Environmental Change, 18(5) https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10113-018-1334-6
Abstract
Tropical dry forest (TDF) is globally one of the most threatened forest types. In the insular Caribbean, limited land area and high population pressure have resulted in the loss of over 60% of TDF, yet local people’s reliance on these systems for ecosystem services is high. Given the sensitivity of TDF to shifts in precipitation regimes and the vulnerability of the Caribbean to climate change, this study examined what is currently known about the impacts of climate change on TDF in the region. A systematic review (n = 89) revealed that only two studies addressed the ecological response of TDF to climate change. Compared to the rapidly increasing knowledge of the effects of climate change on other Caribbean systems and on TDF in the wider neotropics, this paucity is alarming given the value of these forests. We stress the need for long-term monitoring of climate change responses of these critical ecosystems, including phenological and hotspot analyses as priorities.
Citation: Nelson, H.P., Devenish-Nelson, E.S., Rusk, B.L., Geary, M. and Lawrence, A.J., 2018. A call to action for climate change research on Caribbean dry forests. Regional Environmental Change, 18(5)