Ecohydrology in a Brazilian tropical dry forest: thinned vegetation impact on hydrological functions and ecosystem services

•Herbaceous biomass: thinned vegetation showed higher biomass production than regenerating vegetation.•Surface runoff: thinned vegetation increased underbrush development, promoting a natural barrier to runoff, and dissipating the rainfall and surface flow kinetic energy.•Soil moisture: increase in soil moisture content in the thinned catchment is associated to a better soil structure development by the root system of the underbrush.•Soil erosion: underbrush shows greater potential at reducing soil loss because it dissipates the energy flux of surface flow.•Carbon sink: despite tropical dry forests’ smaller storage potential, management techniques may increase biomass production that will favor total organic carbon stock.