Brief Site Description:
Tropical Dry Forest, Coastal, Deforested
Detailed Site Description:
The central coast of Ecuador is a dry tropical forest. The seasonal N-S movement of the El Nino and Humboldt Currents creates a rainy season (De-May) and a dry season (June-November). Annual precipitation is approximately 700 mm, falling almost exclusively in the rainy period. The coast of Ecuador has been heavily deforested—as much as 98% by some accounts. The Cordillera del Balsamo, which lies to the south of Bahia de Caraquez is managed by local landowners and the international NGO: Global Student Embassy. The location is ideal for studying disturbance gradients across the tropical dry forest: a bioregion on which over 700 million people worldwide depend.
Hydrology: Surface water stream order:
Hydrology: Surface water - Stream Flow Performance: