Igapó Ecosystem Soils: Features and Environmental Importance

Because of the marked periodicity of rainfall and fluctuation of the river levels, many areas undergo periodic flooding cycles in the Amazon, which results in the creation of habitats for a high diversity of plant and animal species, including endemic and endangered species. Depending on the type of water that drains the river, the characteristics of the flooded areas may vary because of the geology of the substrates over which the rivers pass, resulting in differences in the physical-chemical properties of the water, directly influencing the biota of the floodplains. In the Amazon, areas flooded by rivers of black or clear waters, with acid pH and low sediment load in addition to being nutritionally poor, are called “igapo.” In this chapter, the main soil characteristics of this ecosystem will be presented, focusing on the “igapo” forests of the Caxiuana National Forest, finishing it with an approach on the social importance and the protection policies of these flood areas in the Amazon.