Chronic anthropogenic disturbances reorganize tropical dry forest biota

Chronic anthropogenic disturbances (i.e., the continuous removal of small portions of forest biomass) are pervasive in tropical dry forest. We demonstrate that these disturbances trigger consistent changes across multiple ecological levels, from population to ecosystem levels. Plant populations exhibit contrasting responses, with some species being negatively affected, whereas others persist or even thrive. Communities become species-poor and dominated by disturbance-adapted plant and animal species. At the ecosystem level, chronic disturbances reduce forest biomass, soil nutrient concentration/stocks, productivity, and the provision of ecosystem services. Collectively, these responses drive dry forests across four potential transitions: arrested succession, forest-shrub conversion, novel ecosystems, and desertification.