Impact of deforestation on ecosystem functions of Ecuador's tropical dry forest under different protection status
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 19587068 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Jaime Maza (0000-0002-4845-5165, Universidad Tecnica de Machala, corresponding author), Emilio Rodríguez‐Caballero (0000-0002-5934-3214, University of Almería), Borja Rodríguez-Lozano (0000-0001-6427-3778), Borja Rodríguez‐Lozano (University of Lisbon), Yolanda Cantón (0000-0002-6848-019X, University of Almería) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 22 |
| Pages | 101032 |
| Publication date | 2025-12-01 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Trees Forests and People (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2666-7193 • E-ISSN: 2666-7193 |
| Publisher | Elsevier BV (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1016/j.tfp.2025.101032 |
| OpenAlex | W4414715662 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 62 |
57.6% of the dry forest in Arenillas and Zarumilla was lost between 1990 and 2020. • Soil and biomass carbon stocks decreased by more than 47% over 30 years. • Soil erosion increased by 112.5% due to agricultural and livestock expansion. • Water regulation and sediment retention declined in deforested areas. • Regulatory ecosystem services significantly decreased since 2000. The highly diverse equatorial dry forests are among the most threatened ecosystems on Earth due to the alarming rates of deforestation, and are currently classified as "critically endangered" according to IUCN criteria. Understanding the causes of its deforestation and its impacts on local communities is essential for its management and conservation. In this study, we used public information in geographic information systems (GISs) from 1990-2020 together with remote sensing data and local expert knowledge to assess the drivers of deforestation and the provision of regulatory ecosystem services (ESs) through the Nature’s Contributions to People (NCP) framework in the Arenillas and Zarumilla watersheds (Province of El Oro, Ecuador). Our results clearly identify the expansion of agricultural and rangelands as the main driver of deforestation, especially starting in 2000. The reduction in area of equatorial dry forest by more than 42,224.45 ha implies a broad reduction of carbon storage and water regulation, and increased erosion. As a consequence, the ESs associated with air quality regulation (NCP3), control of harmful organisms (NCP10), climate regulation (NCP4), pollination (NCP2) and habitat maintenance (NCP1) all declined over the study period. The protected areas in the study region were insufficient to stop this trend and preserve ESs. More precisely, one of the two protected areas in the region, BP-Tahuín, presented levels of provision of services similar to non-protected areas. Our study highlights the urgency to identify alternative conservation measures, which respond to social needs and valorize regulatory services to stop deforestation due to agricultural and rangeland expansion
Agriculture · Climate change · Ecosystem · Ecosystem services · Land use · Rangeland · Threatened species · Tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests · Conservation, Biodiversity, and Resource Management · Economic and Environmental Valuation · Land Use and Ecosystem Services
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| Highly cited | No |
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