Biogeografía filogenética de bosques estacionalmentes secos de Latinoamérica y su relevancia en la conservación

PENNINGTON, R.T.; LAVIN, M.; A. OLIVEIRA-FILHO; LINARES-PALOMINO, REYNALDO; PRADO, D.E.; RICHARDSON, J.; SARKINEN, TIINA

Barranquilla

Simposio; Florística y Biogeografía de los Bosques Secos de Latinoamérica; 2012

Universidad del Norte, Barranquilla, Colombia

The proposed DRYFLOR Network aims to improve the understanding of the flora and to promote the conservation of the endangered seasonally dry tropical forests (SDTF) of Latin America. SDTF occur as fragments of varying size throughout the New World tropics (Neotropics) from NW Mexico to N Argentina and SW Brazil. International conservation interest in this neglected formation is increasing as it represents the world’s most threatened tropical forest type due to its frequently fertile soils being suitable for agriculture. In comparison to rain forest, fewer areas of SDTF are protected. Although varying in structure and species composition, SDTF comprise a recognized biome, albeit one whose history and biological character is poorly understood. Neotropical SDTF have been attracting increasing scientific curiosity due to the belief that their disjunct distribution and high occurrence of unique (endemic) species has been influenced by historical climatic fluctuations. As such, their study can provide insights into historical climate and vegetation change, and biodiversity evolution and maintenance. The recent development of a unified scientific interpretation of neotropical SDTF has established the foundation to allow continental scale biogeographic analyses of this biome to be undertaken. Such analyses would frame national conservation prioritisation in an international context. As an example, few areas of SDTF in interAndean valleys in Colombia and Peru have any protection, which reflects lack of appreciation at a national level of their international uniqueness, illustrated by their high numbers of endemic species. Because the geographic area of SDTF stands and their overall species diversity is smaller than neighbouring biomes such as rain forests, their conservation has often been neglected.