Spatial patterns of hydrology, geomorphology, and vegetation on the floodplain of the Amazon river in Brazil from a remote sensing perspective

Abstract

The spatial heterogeneity of hydrology and vegetation during high-water periods in geomorphically distinct reaches of the Amazon River in Brazil was determined based on semivariance statistics. The spatial statistics were derived from three classified Landsat Thematic Mapper images representing upstream to downstream geomorphic characteristics. In the upstream river reach, scroll-bar topography on the floodplain tends to channelize floodwater into floodplain drainage channels, thus reducing the diversity of water types by reducing opportunities for mixing of flooding river water with locally derived floodplain water. The highest diversity of vegetation types is along floodplain drainage channels, while the rest of the floodplain has a more homogeneous cover. In the middle reach of the river the diversity of wetland classes as measured by semivariance is higher than both upstream and downstream, perhaps because of exposure to more water types and landforms. The diversity of water types is high, because flooding river water flows onto the floodplain as diffuse, non-channelized overbank flow, as well as through drainage channels. The non-channelized overbank flow readily mixes with locally derived floodplain water. Floodplain landforms available for colonization by vegetation include scroll bars, swales, lake shores, lake deltas, and floodplain drainage channels. In the downstream reach where the floodplain is wide, relatively flat, and covered with huge lakes, the floodplain supports a moderately heterogeneous mix of vegetation communities. Where landforms are similar, the spatial distribution of the vegetation is similar to that of the middle reach of the river. In the downstream reach flooded forest comprised only 37% of the wetland vegetation. In contrast, in both the upstream and middle reaches, over 70% of the wetland vegetation was flooded forest. Agricultural clearing of the floodplain is more. common in downstream reaches and may account for the smaller percent of floodplain forest cover.