River Types, Site Evolution and Successional Vegetation Patterns in Peruvian Amazonia

• DOI: 10.2307/2845707
• Publication Date: 2006-06-16T12:23:14Z
• Authors: Maarit Puhakka; Risto Kalliola; Marjut Rajasilta; Jukka Salo
• Keywords: 0106 biological sciences; 15. Life on land; 01 natural sciences

Lateral migration of Amazonian lowland rivers causes a vegetation succession on recently deposited fluvial sediments. The forest ground is formed gradually in se- quence, giving rise to age-zonation the successional stages. Using Landsat MSS maps and field observations, we studied variations landform evolution river character. widely used characterizations ac- cording their suspension-load character channel pattern were evaluated relation succes- sion. Sequential forests appear extensively along meandering white-water rivers, which are rich sus- pended sediments characterized by mobile channels. Conversely, zonation less pronounced at margins slowly eroding suspension-poor rivers. Line transects established document meander develop- ment eight different chemical composition alluvium differs markedly both among transects. Concentrations organic carbon nitrogen increase toward neck with acid reaction soil. rate riv- erine regeneration Peruvian Amazonia was extrapolated basis erosion data from four suggests that approximately 130 km2 annually eroded replaced vegetation, equivalent 0.2% present floodplain area this region.