Abstract
The Central American Dry Corridor (CADC) is the most densely populated area of the Central American Isthmus and is subject to the greatest variability in precipitation between seasons. The vegetation of this region is composed of Dry Tropical Forests (DTF), which are suggested to be highly susceptible to variations in climate and anthropogenic development. This study examines the vulnerability of past DTF surrounding the Asese peninsula, Nicaragua to climatic and anthropogenic disturbances over the past c. 1200 years. Past vegetation, climate, burning, and animal abundance were reconstructed using proxy analysis of fossil pollen, diatoms, macroscopic charcoal, and Sporormiella. Results from this research suggest that DTF have been highly resilient to past climatic and anthropogenic perturbations. Changes in DTF structure and composition appear to be linked to the abundance and intensity of fire. Pre-Columbian anthropogenic impacts on DTF are not detected in the record; however, DTF taxa decline slightly after European contact (1522 C.E.). Overall the DTF for the Nicaraguan region of the CADC were found to be highly resilient to both climatic and anthropogenic disturbances, suggesting that this region will continue to be resilient in the face of future population expansion and climatic variation.
Highlights
Significant losses in food production across the Central American Isthmus (Isthmus of Tehuantepec south to the Isthmus of Darien) resulting from a deficit in precipitation at the beginning of the harvest in 2015 rendered an estimated 2.2 million people at risk of moderate or severe food insecurity [1].This episode is indicative of the vulnerability of the flora, fauna and human population of the CentralAmerican Dry Corridor (CADC) to seasonal patterns of rainfall, impacting agrarian practices, food and water security [2,3]
Given this recent episode of apparent vulnerability of the Central American Dry Corridor (CADC) to hydroclimatic changes, the aim of this research was to identify past hydroclimatic changes and assess their impacts upon the dominant vegetation type, Dry Tropical Forests (DTF), for the Central Pacific lowlands of Nicaragua spanning the last c. 1200 years (Figure 1)
Zone defined by Pseudostaurosira brevistriata and Navicula taxa; while Zone 3 defined by Pseudostaurosira brevistriata and Pinnularia viridis
Summary
Significant losses in food production across the Central American Isthmus (Isthmus of Tehuantepec south to the Isthmus of Darien) resulting from a deficit in precipitation at the beginning of the harvest in 2015 rendered an estimated 2.2 million people at risk of moderate or severe food insecurity [1].This episode is indicative of the vulnerability of the flora, fauna and human population of the CentralAmerican Dry Corridor (CADC) to seasonal patterns of rainfall, impacting agrarian practices, food and water security [2,3]. Significant losses in food production across the Central American Isthmus (Isthmus of Tehuantepec south to the Isthmus of Darien) resulting from a deficit in precipitation at the beginning of the harvest in 2015 rendered an estimated 2.2 million people at risk of moderate or severe food insecurity [1]. This episode is indicative of the vulnerability of the flora, fauna and human population of the Central. Given this recent episode of apparent vulnerability of the CADC to hydroclimatic changes, the aim of this research was to identify past hydroclimatic changes and assess their impacts upon the dominant vegetation type, Dry Tropical Forests (DTF), for the Central Pacific lowlands of Nicaragua spanning the last c. 1200 years (Figure 1).
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