Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

A general review of tropical South American floodplains

  • Published:
Wetlands Ecology and Management Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

High rainfall and its seasonal distribution cause periodic flooding of large areas in tropical South America. Floods result from lateral overflow of streams and rivers, or from sheet-flooding by rains as a consequence of poor drainage. Depending upon the size of the catchment area, flooding can occur with one peak (e.g., in the Amazon River and its large affluents) or in many peaks (e.g., in streams and small rivers).

Vegetation cover of floodplains varies from different types of savannas and aquatic macrophyte communities to forests depending upon the hydrologic regime and local rainfall. Large differences exist in primary and secondary production due to large differences in nutrient levels in water and soils.

An attempt is made to characterize the floodplains according to their hydrologic regimes, vegetation cover and nutrient status. The areal extent of different types of floodplains is estimated. The human impact is also evaluated.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Adis, J. 1984. ‘Seasonal Igapó’-forest of Central Amazonian blackwaters rivers and their terrestrial arthropod fauna. In: The Amazon: Limnology and Landscape Ecology of a Mighty Tropical River and its Basin. Edited by H. Sioli. pp. 246–268. Dr. W. Junk, Dordrecht, Boston, Lancaster.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bayley, P.B. 1980. The limits of limnological theory and approaches as applied to river-floodplain systems and their fish production. Tropical Ecology and Development. Kuala Lumpur: 739–746.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bayley, P.B. 1981. Fish yield from the Amazon in Brazil: Comparison with African river yields and management possibilities. Trans. Am. Fish. Soc., 100: 351–359.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bayley, P.B. and Petrere Jr., M. 1989. Amazon fisheries: assessment methods, current status, and management options. In: Proc. of the Intern. Large River Symposium (LARS). Edited by D.P. Dodge. Can. Spec. Publ. Fish. Aquat. Sci., 106: 385–398.

  • Beck, S. 1983. Vegetationsökologische Grundlagen der Viehwirtschaft in den Überschwemmungs-Savannen des Rio Yacuma (Departamento Beni, Bolivien). Dissertationes Botanicae 80, Ganter Verlag, Vaduz. 214 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bhowmik, N.G. and Stall, J.B. 1979. Hydraulic geometry and carrying capacity of floodplains. Univ. of Illinois Water Resources Center, Research Report 145 UILU-WRC-79–0145 Champaign, IL.. 147 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bongers, F. and Engelen, D. 1982. Some aspects of the structure and ecology of an Amazon Caatinga forest in southern Venezuela. Rep. Dep. Geobot. Univ. Nijmegen. The Netherlands. 58 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bongers, F., Engelen, D. and Klinge, H. 1985. Phytomass structure of natural communities on spodosols in southern Venezuela: the Bana woodland. Vegetatio, 63: 13–34.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bremer, H. 1972. Flufßarbeit, Flächen- und Stufenbildung in den feuchten Tropen. Z. Geomorph. N. F. Suppl. Bd., 14: 21–38.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bremer, H. and Schnütgen, A. 1984. Relief-, Bodenentwicklung und Vegetationsverbreitung in der Gran Sabana (Südost-Venezuela). Biogeographica, 19: 21–40.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dister, E. and Garcia, L.C.L. 1984. Ökologische Aspekte beim Ausbau des Rio Magdalena/Kolumbien. Biogeographica, 19: 41–56.

    Google Scholar 

  • Falesi, I.C., Rodrigues, T.E., Morikawa, I.K. and Reis, R.S. 1971. Solos do distrito agropecuario da SUFRAMA (Trecho km 30-km 79), Rod. BR-174. Inst. de Pesqu. e Experim. Agropec. da Amazonia Oc. (IPEAAOc), Set. Solos I(1). 99 pp.

  • Furch, K. and Junk, W.J. 1980. Water chemistry and macrophytes of creeks and rivers in southern Amazonia and the Central Brazilian Shield. Tropical Ecology and Development. Kuala Lumpur: 171–196.

    Google Scholar 

  • Furch, K. 1987. Amazonian rivers: Their chemistry and transport of dissolved solids through their basins. 1. Major dissolved solids. Mitt. Geol.-Paläont. Inst. Univ. Hamburg, SCOPE/UNEP Sonderband Heft 64: 311–323.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gottsberger, G. 1978. Seed dispersal by fish in the inundated regions of Humaitá, Amazonia. Biotropica, 10: 170–183.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goulding, M. 1980. The fishes and the forest. Explorations in Amazonian natural history. Univ. of California Press, Berkeley, Los Angeles. 280 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Irmler, U. 1981. Überlebensstrategien von Tieren im saisonal überfluteten Überschwemmungswald. Zool. Anz. Jena, 206(1/2): 26–38.

    Google Scholar 

  • IUNC, 1983. Global status of mangrove ecosystems. Edited by P. Saenger, E.J. Hegerl and J.D.S. Davie. Commission on Ecology Pap., 3: 88 pp.

  • Janssen, A. 1986. Flora und Vegetation der Savannen von Humaitá und ihre Standortbedingungen. Dissertationes Botanicae 93. J. Cramer, Berlin, Stuttgart. 321 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Junk, W.J. 1983. Ecology of swamps on the Middle Amazon. In: Ecosystems of the world. Mires, swamp, bog, fen and moor. 3 Regional studies. pp 269–294. Edited by A.J.P. Gore. Elsevier Publ. Comp. Amsterdam.

    Google Scholar 

  • Junk, W.J. 1984a. Ecology of the várzea, floodplain of Amazonian whitewater rivers. In: The Amazon: Limnology and Landscape Ecology of a Mighty Tropical River and its Basin. pp. 215–243. Edited by H. Sioli. Dr. W. Junk, Dordrecht, Boston, Lancaster.

    Google Scholar 

  • Junk, W.J. 1984b. Ecology, fisheries and fishculture in Amazonia. In: The Amazon: Limnology and Landscape Ecology of a Mighty Tropical River and its Basin. pp. 443–476. Edited by H. Sioli. Dr. W. Junk, Dordrecht, Boston, Lancaster.

    Google Scholar 

  • Junk, W.J. 1989. Flood-tolerance and tree distribution in central Amazonian floodplains. In: Tropical Forests: Botanical Dynamics, Speciation and Diversity. pp. 47–64. Edited by L.B. Holm-Nielsen, I.C. Nielsen and H. Balslev. Academic Press, London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Junk, W.J. 1993. Wetlands of tropical South America. In: Wetlands of the world I. Edited by D.F. Whigham et al., Kluwer Academic Publishers. The Netherlands: 679–739.

    Google Scholar 

  • Junk, W.J. 1989. The use of Amazonian floodplains under an ecological perspective. Interciencia, 14 (6): 317–322.

    Google Scholar 

  • Junk, WJ., Bayley, P.B. and Sparks, R.E. 1989. The flood pulse concept in river-floodplain systems. In: Proc. Intern. Large River Symp. (LARS). Edited by D.P. Dodge. Can. Spec. Publ. Fish. Aquat. Sci., 106: 110–127.

  • Junk, W.J. and Furch, K. 1985. The physical and chemical properties of Amazonian waters and their relationships with the biota. In: Key Environments: Amazonia. pp. 3–17. Edited by G.T. Prance and T.E. Lovejoy. Pergamon Press; Oxford, New York, Toronto, Sydney, Frankfurt.

    Google Scholar 

  • Junk, W.J. and Howard-Williams, C. 1984. Ecology of aquatic macrophytes in Amazonia. In.: The Amazon: Limnology and Landscape Ecology of a Mighty Tropical River and its Basin. pp. 269–293. Edited by H. Sioli. Dr. W. Junk, Dordrecht, Boston, Lancaster.

    Google Scholar 

  • Junk, W.J. and Mello, J.A.S.N. de 1987. Impactos ecológicos das represas hidrelétricas na Amazonia brasileira. Tübinger Georgr. Studien, 95: 367–385.

    Google Scholar 

  • Klinge, H., Medina, E. and Herrera, R. 1977. Studies on the ecology of Amazon Caatinga forest in southern Venezuela. Acta Cient. Venez., 28: 270–276.

    Google Scholar 

  • Klinge, H. and Herrera, R. 1983. Phytomass structure of natural plant communities on spodosols in southern Venezuela: The tall Amazon Caatinga forest. Vegetatio, 53: 65–84.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lindemann, J.C. 1953. The vegetation of the coastal region of Suriname. In: The vegetation of Suriname, Vol 1 Part. 1. Edited by J.A. de Hulster, J. Lanjouw and F.W. Ostedorf. Von Eedenfouds, Amsterdam, Netherlands. 135 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Löffler, H. 1968. Tropical high mountain lakes. Their distribution, ecology and zoogeographical importance. Coll. Geogr., Bonn, 9: 57–75.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lowe-McConnell, R.H. 1964. The fishes of the Rupununi savanna district in British Guiana, South America. I. Ecological groupings of fish species and effects of the seasonal cycle on the fish. J. Linn. Soc. Zool., 45: 103–144.

    Google Scholar 

  • Monheim, F. 1956. Beiträge zur Klimatologie und Hydrologie des Titicacabeckens. Heidelberger Geogr. Arb., 1: 1–152.

    Google Scholar 

  • Novoa, D. 1982. Los recursos pesqueiros del rio Orinoco y su explotacion. Corp. Venez. de Guyana, Division de Desarrolo Agricola, Caracas. 386 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Petrere, Jr. M. 1978a. Pesca e esforço no Estado do Amazonas I. Esforço, e captura por unidade de esforço. Acta Amazonica, 8(3): 439–454.

    Google Scholar 

  • Petrere, Jr. M. 1978b. Pesca e esforço no Estado do Amazonas. II. Locais, aparelhos de captura e estatistica de desembarque. Acta Amazonica 8(3): Suppl. 2, 54 pp.

  • Piedade, M.T.F., Junk, W.J. and Long, S.P. 1991. The productivity of the C4 grass Echinochloa polystachya on the Amazon floodplain. Ecology 72(4): 1456–1463.

    Google Scholar 

  • Prance, G.T. and Schaller, G.B. 1982. Preliminary study of some vegetation types of the Pantanal, Mato Grosso, Brazil. Brittonia, 34(2): 228–251.

    Google Scholar 

  • Radam/Brasil. 1975,1978. Levantamento de recursos naturais Vol. 8 e 18. Ministério das Minas e Energia, Dep. Nac. da Prod. Mineral, Rio de Janeiro.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ruthsatz, B. 1977. Pflanzengesellschaften und ihre Lebensbedingungen in den andinen Halbwüsten Nordwest-Argentiniens. Dissertationes Botanicae 39, Ganter Verlag, Vadouz: 204 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Salati, E. and Marques, J. 1984. Climatology of the Amazon region. In: The Amazon: Limnology and Landscape Ecology of a Mighty Tropical River and its Basin. pp. 85–126. Edited by H. Sioli. Dr. W. Junk, Dordrecht, Boston, Lancaster.

    Google Scholar 

  • Salo, Y, Kalliola, R., Häkkinen, I., Mäkinen, Y., Miemelä, P, Puhakka, M. and Coley, P.D. 1986. River dynamics and the diversity of Amazon lowland forest. Nature: 1005–1011.

  • Sioli, H. 1950. Das Wasser im Amazonasgebiet. Forsch. Fortschr., 26: 274–280.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sioli, H. 1965. Bemerkungen zur Typologie amazonischer Flüsse. Amazoniana, 1(1): 74–83.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tricart, J. 1969. Le salar del Huasco. Rev. Geomorph. Dynamique, 19(2): 49–84.

    Google Scholar 

  • Walter, H. and Medina, E. 1971. Caracterizacion climatica de Venezuela sobre la base de climadiagramas de estaciones particulares. Bol. Soc. Venez. Cienc. Not., 29: 211–240.

    Google Scholar 

  • Welcomme, R.L. 1979. Fisheries ecology of floodplain rivers. The Chancer Press Ltd., Bungay: 317 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilhelmy, H. 1980. Geographische Forschungen in Südamerika. Dietrich Reimer Verlag, Berlin: 105–132.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Max-Planck-Institut für Limnologie, Arbeitsgruppe Tropenökologie, Postfach 165, W-2320, Plön, Germany

    Wolfgang J. Junk & Karin Furch

Authors
  1. Wolfgang J. Junk
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Karin Furch
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

From a paper presented at the Third International Wetlands Conference, 19–23 September, 1988, University of Rennes, France.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Junk, W.J., Furch, K. A general review of tropical South American floodplains. Wetlands Ecol Manage 2, 231–238 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00188157

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00188157

Keywords

Search

Navigation