Tropical Dry Forest Dynamics Explained by Topographic and Anthropogenic Factors: A Case Study in Mexico

Tropical dry forest is one of the most threatened ecosystems, and it disappearing at an alarming rate. Shifting cultivation commonly cited as a driver tropical loss, although helps to maintain coverage but with less density. We investigated dynamics their contributing factors find out if there equilibrium between these two processes. classified multi-temporal Sentinel-2A images machine learning algorithms used logistic regression model associate topographic, anthropogenic, land tenure variables plausible in dynamics. carried accuracy assessment detected changes loss gain considering imbalance area proportion change classes persistence classes. estimated 1.4% annual rate 0.7% found that topographic variable slope anthropogenic distance roads helped explain occurrence probability both gain. Since estimation yielded wide confidence interval for despite measures we took counterbalance disproportion areas, cannot conclude process was more intense than process, rather under influence shifting cultivation.