Plant diversity patterns and their conservation implications in neotropical dry forests

DELGADO-SALINAS, A.; OLIVEIRA-FILHO, A.; QUINTANA, C.; WEINTRITT, J.; ÁLVAREZ, E.; AYMARD, G.; COGOLLO, A.; DEVIA, W.; FERNÁNDEZ, A.; FREID, E.H.; GONZÁLEZ-M, R.; IDÁRRAGA, A.; MARTÍNEZ, O.G.; MCLAREN, K.; MOGNI, V.Y.; NASSAR, J.F.; OATHAM, M.; REYES DOMÍNGUEZ, O.J.; RODRÍGUEZ, N.; SÁNCHEZ, R.; VILLANUEVA, B.; BANDA-R., K.; LINARES-PALOMINO, R.; PULLAN, M.; RODRÍGUEZ M., G.M.; ADARVE, J.; ARTEAGA, J.C.; CEBALLOS-MAGO, N.; DELGADO, F.; FAJARDO, L.; DEXTER, K.G.; FRANKLIN, J.; PRADO, D.E.; GONTO, R.; RIINA, R.; HELMER, E.H.; ACEVEDO-RODRÍGUEZ, P.; MARCANO-VEGA, H.; ARANGUREN B., A.; MCDONALD, M.; CASTAÑO, A.; MIJARES, F.; CUADROS, H.; MORENO, N.P.; DUEÑAS, H.; OAKLEY, L.J.; FERNÁNDEZ, M.A.; PEZZINI, F.; GALETTI, L.A.; RIVERA, O.; GRAVESON, R.; SARKINEN, TIINA; LÓPEZ-CAMACHO, R.; VARGAS, C.; MATURO, H.M.; MELO, O.; MOLINA, D.; NEVES, D.M.; OLVERA-LUNA, A.R.; RÍOS, M.E.; ROJAS, A.; SMITH, M.; PENNINGTON, R.T.

SCIENCE

AMER ASSOC ADVANCEMENT SCIENCE

Año: 2016 vol. 353 p. 1383 - 1387

0036-8075

Seasonally dry tropical forests are scattered across Latin America and the Caribbean and are highly threatened, with less than 10% of their original extent remaining in some countries. Using 863 inventories covering 4776 species of woody plants, we demonstrate markedly high floristic turnover amongst inventories and regions, particularly compared to other neotropical biomes such as rain forest. Such high beta-diversity indicates that numerous conservation areas across many countries will be needed to protect the full diversity of tropical dry forests. Our results provide a scientific framework within which, for the first time, national decision makers can contextualise the floristic significance of their dry forest at a regional and continental scale.