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Spatial and temporal deforestation dynamics in protected and unprotected dry forests: a case study from Myanmar (Burma)

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Abstract

Tropical dry forests are more threatened, less protected and especially susceptible to deforestation. However, most deforestation research focuses on tropical rain forests. We analyzed spatial and temporal changes in land cover from 1972 through 2005 at Chatthin Wildlife Sanctuary (CWS), a tropical dry forest in Myanmar (Burma). CWS is one of the largest protected patches of tropical dry forest in Southeast Asia and supports over half the remaining wild population of the endangered Eld’s deer. Between 1973 and 2005, 62% of forest was lost at an annual rate of 1.86% in the area, while forest loss inside CWS was only 16% (0.45% annually). Based on trends found during our study period, dry forests outside CWS would not persist beyond 2019, while forests inside CWS would persist for at least another 100 years. Analysis of temporal deforestation patterns indicates the highest rate of loss occurred between 1992 and 2001. Conversion to agriculture, shifting agriculture, and flooding from a hydro-electric development were the main deforestation drivers. Fragmentation was also severe, halving the area of suitable Eld’s deer habitat between 1973 and 2001, and increasing its isolation. CWS protection efforts were effective in reducing deforestation rates, although deforestation effects extended up to 2 km into the sanctuary. Establishing new protected areas for dry forests and finding ways to mitigate human impacts on existing forests are both needed to protect remaining dry forests and the species they support.

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Abbreviations

ASTER:

Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer

CWS:

Chatthin Wildlife Sanctuary

GIS:

Geographic Information Systems

GPS:

Global Positioning System

ISODATA:

Iterative Self-Organizing Data Analysis Techniques

Landsat ETM+:

Landsat Enhanced Thematic Mapper

Landsat MSS:

Landsat Multispectral Scanner

Landsat TM:

Landsat Thematic Mapper

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Acknowledgments

We thank the staff of Chatthin Wildlife Sanctuary for their assistance in collection of field data and Dan Kelly and Melanie Delion for assistance in data management in the laboratory. This project was primarily funded by a grant awarded by NASA to the Conservation Non-Governmental Working Group.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Smithsonian Institution, National Zoological Park, Conservation Ecology Center, 1500 Remount Road, Front Royal, VA, 22630, USA

    Melissa Songer, Briony Senior & Peter Leimgruber

  2. SICAS Office, 30 5/A Thirimingalar Avenue/Kabar Aye, Kamayut Township, Yangon, Myanmar

    Myint Aung

  3. Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, 10th Floor Schermerhorn Ext., 1200 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY, 10027, USA

    Ruth DeFries

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  1. Melissa Songer
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  2. Myint Aung
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  4. Ruth DeFries
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  5. Peter Leimgruber
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Correspondence to Melissa Songer.

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Songer, M., Myint Aung, Senior, B. et al. Spatial and temporal deforestation dynamics in protected and unprotected dry forests: a case study from Myanmar (Burma). Biodivers Conserv 18, 1001–1018 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-008-9490-5

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