ABSTRACT The flood pulse of black water rivers in the Amazon basin determines the composition of species along the flood gradient in igapó forests. The Balbina dam, built on the Uatumã River, has altered the flood pulse and caused changes in the floristic composition of adult trees throughout the downstream area. There is a lack of studies on how communities of seedlings in igapó forests respond to changes in the flood pulse. This study investigates the response of seedling communities in the igapó forest downstream the Balbina dam and compares it with two pristine areas. The areas were sampled with transects of 1x25 m within 36 plots (25x25 m) along the flood gradient. Richness and dominance were calculated by simple regression and ordination analyses. The pristine areas had the same pattern of richness, dominance and genera distribution along the flood gradient. However, the affected Uatumã area formed different groups of genera by NMDS analysis, which divided them along the flood gradient with significantly increased dominance of three genera. The insertion of the Balbina dam resulted a loss of lateral and longitudinal connectivity for the Uatumã River, and the alteration to seedling communities may alter the future landscape of downstream igapó forests.

RESUMO Fragmentos naturais constituem importante fonte de recursos para o manejo e conservação da flora local. Este trabalho avaliou o efeito da fragmentação sobre a estrutura e a composição das comunidades de plantas de fragmentos florestais (FF), em Alter do Chão, na Amazônia oriental brasileira. Foram amostrados 25 sítios em FF e nove em floresta contínua (CF). Analisamos a diferença na densidade de plantas e na riqueza de espécies entre FF e CF por teste-t, e na composição por análise de agrupamento. Utilizou-se regressão linear para avaliar o efeito do tamanho dos fragmentos e distância à CF sobre a área basal e diâmetro. Os indivíduos com DAP ≥1,27 cm foram medidos em parcelas de 2x250 m. Foram registrados 17.078 indivíduos, 75,32% nos FF e 24,68% na CF, distribuídos em 475 espécies, 216 gêneros e 64 famílias. As famílias Myrtaceae e Fabaceae foram as mais abundantes em ambos FF e CF. A riqueza média diferiu significativamente entre FF e CF. As 20 espécies com maior valor de importância foram semelhantes nos FF e CF. O diâmetro médio nos FF e CF foi semelhante, sugerindo tratar-se em ambos casos de florestas "maduras" compostas por indivíduos finos. O diâmetro médio e a área basal total mostraram relação negativa com a distância à CF e área dos fragmentos, respectivamente. A análise de similaridade revelou dois grupos, um deles composto exclusivamente por fragmentos. Composicionalmente, os fragmentos diferiram da floresta contínua, sendo estruturalmente semelhantes entre si, evidenciando distribuição diamétrica semelhante à das florestas primárias.

ABSTRACT Natural fragments are an important source of richness for the management and conservation of a local flora. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of fragmentation on the structure and composition of the plant communities of forest fragments (FF) in Alter do Chão, eastern Brazilian Amazonia. The study sample consisted of 25 FF and nine continuous forest (CF) sites. We compared plant density and species richness between site categories by t-tests, analyzed the differences in composition by cluster analysis, and assessed the effect of fragment size and distance to CF on the basal area and diameter of FF assemblages by linear regression. Individual trees and shrubs with DBH ≥1.27 cm were measured in 2x250 m plots. 17,078 individuals were recorded - 75.32% in FF and 24.68% in CF, comprising 475 species, 216 genera and 64 families. Myrtaceae and Fabaceae were the most abundant families in both FF and CF. Average species richness in FF and CF was statistically different. The 20 species with the highest importance values were similar in FF and CF. The average plant diameter was similar in FF and CF, suggesting that both are "mature" forests composed of thin individuals. Average diameter and total basal area showed a negative relationship with distance to CF and fragment area, respectively. Similarity analysis revealed two groups, one composed exclusively of portions of fragmented forest. Fragments and continuous forest differed in species composition, but were similar in structure. Diameter distribution in fragments was similar to that of primary forests.

The present study reconstructs the paleovegetation of a varzea (seasonally flooded) forest in the central parts of the Madeira River floodplain in Brazil using palynological data. Forty-nine cut-bank sediment samples from the Madeira River were processed in the study; from these, ten samples contained pollen: two contained pollen from the Middle Pleniglacial age, one contained pollen from the Tardiglacial age, six contained pollen from the Holocene, and one contained more recently deposited pollen. The Middle Pleniglacial pollen belonged to a primary succession varzea forest, while the Tardiglacial pollen represented a late succession varzea forest. On the other hand, the three Holocene samples showed the characteristic composition of chavascal (water-logged forest) or lacustrine varzea forest, and three samples belonged to a late succession varzea forest. The most recent pollen deposit represented a secondary succession varzea forest. This paleovegetation showed a typical mosaic distribution, which may be explained by the fluvial dynamics, high species richness and diversity in the varzea forest, and the presence of dominant species.