Structure and Composition of Terra Firme and Seasonally Flooded Várzea Forests in the Western Brazilian Amazon

Floodplain forests are a crucial complement to terra firme forests in terms of Amazonian woody plant diversity. This study, conducted in the remote Central Amazon Conservation Complex, reveals that while species richness is greater in terra firme forests, floodplain forests exhibit some of the highest regional species richness. The research highlights significant differences in structure and species composition between these forest types, with many species being forest type-specific despite some overlap. To investigate this, the study inventoried 97 plots across both terra firme and seasonally flooded forests, analyzing family- and species-level floristic composition, diversity, and structural variability. This findings underscore the importance of floodplain forests in maintaining Amazonian biodiversity and have implications for climate regulation and conservation planning.

Bredin, Y. K., Hawes, J. E., Peres, C. A., & Haugaasen, T. (2020). Structure and Composition of Terra Firme and Seasonally Flooded Várzea Forests in the Western Brazilian Amazon. Forests, 11(12), 1361. https://doi.org/10.3390/f11121361