Tropical Dry Forests: Remote sensing and ecological fingerprints of ecosystem succession

季节性干燥的热带森林占所有热带森林的42%，蕴含着丰富的独特生物多样性。与热带雨林相比，这个生态系统中的植物物种的特点是生长速度较慢，繁殖周期有限，结构和生理多样性更多。TDF是世界各地社区生态系统服务的重要蓄水池。仅在美洲，估计就有近6000万人受益于他们提供的服务(如水生产、授粉)。尽管它们很重要，但人们对这些生态、生物物理/水文过程及其与这些生态系统服务的联系知之甚少。

Seasonally dry tropical forests (TDFs) account for 42% of all tropical forests and contain a wealth of unique biodiversity. Plant species in this ecosystem are characterized by slower growth rates, restricted reproductive episodes, and more structural and physiological diversity than found in tropical rainforests. TDFs are important reservoirs of ecosystem services for communities around the world. In the Americas, alone, it is estimated that nearly 60 million people benefit from the services that they provide (e.g. water production, pollination). Despite of their importance, little is known about these ecological, biophysical/hydrological processes and their linkages to these ecosystems’ services.