Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
of deforestation experienced in seasonal forests were discussed in Chapter 4. The
Neotropical seasonal forests are being converted largely for ranching or agriculture.
Small- and large-scale ranching operations, as well as plantations of soybean, sugar
cane, and palms, are quickly replacing the seasonal forests. The expansion of cattle
ranching has led to extensive deforestation of Mexican seasonal forests. Increased
international demand for low-cost beef and agricultural subsidies have led to large-
scale ranching operations in Costa Rica, Brazil, and Bolivia. Timber extractions
and an increase in small-scale shifting agricultural also contribute to forest destruc-
tion. Increases in population have lead to urban expansion and the creation of
roads into these forested areas, further fragmenting them.
Wildlife trade in South America is responsible for the loss of millions of ani-
mals each year. These animals are taken for their skins and meat or for live trade.
Several animals such as jaguars and peccaries are heavily hunted. Many wild cats
and foxes, as well as parakeets, macaws, and iguanas, are used in legal and illegal
international wildlife trade.
Large-scale conservation efforts have focused on tropical rainforests with little
attention on the loss of tropical seasonal forests. Most of the dry forests in Central
America, Venezuela, and Bolivia have disappeared, while the forests of Mexico
have been severely eroded. Large-scale efforts to protect the remaining seasonal
forests are under way in Mexico, Costa Rica, and the Chaco. Land conservation is
essential for species survival. Reforestation efforts using local species have been
somewhat successful. Creating protected areas along with developing sustainable
and profitable land use practices for local economies will be the key for conserva-
tion of this region's tropical seasonal forests.
African Tropical Seasonal Forests
The African expression of the Tropical Seasonal Forest Biome includes broadleaf
deciduous forests, evergreen dry forests, and woodlands that generally occur in
two subregions along a band between 6
-13
N latitude in the Northern Hemi-
sphere and 5
S latitude in the Southern Hemisphere, from sea level to 3,200 ft
(1,000 m) (see Figure 5.12). The northern or Sudanian subregion occurs along the
eastern border of the West African rainforest and the northern border of the rain-
forest of the Congo into East Africa. The Sudanian subregion is severely affected,
with only small remnants of forest found interspersed with the savanna. The south-
ern or Zambezian subregion is larger in extent and is found along the southern bor-
der of the rainforests of the Congo. In the Zambezian area, despite increasingly
intense use by humans, large intact areas remain. Fragments of tropical dry forests
also occur along the coast of East Africa, extending from the tip of Somalia along
coastal Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, and Mozambique into Zimbabwe. Fragments
of dry forest exist on the Cape Verde Islands, the islands in the Gulf of Guinea, and
on the western coast of Madagascar.
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