Cover; Title Page; Copyright; Dedication; Contents; List of Contributors; Prologue; Chapter 1 Introduction; 1.1 The Amazon; 1.2 The Western Amazon; 1.2.1 Case study: Sabalillo Forest Reserve; 1.2.2 Case study: Area de Conservacion Regional Comunal de Tamshiyacu-Tahuayo; 1.2.3 Case study: Centro de Investigacion de Jenaro Herrera; 1.2.4 Case study: Yasuní experimental station; 1.3 About this book; Acknowledgements; References; Chapter 2 A Floristic Assessment of Ecuador's Amazon Tree Flora; 2.1 Introduction; 2.2 Methods; 2.3 Study area; 2.3.1 Yasuní; 2.3.2 Cuyabeno; 2.4 Herbarium collections
2.5 Floristic inventories2.6 Data analysis; 2.6.1 Estimation of observed and expected tree species richness; 2.7 Results; 2.7.1 Observed patterns of tree species richness; 2.7.2 Estimated number of tree species in Ecuadorian Amazonia; 2.7.3 Floristic relationships and discontinuities at local and regional scales; 2.8 Aguarico-Putumayo watershed; 2.9 Napo-Curaray basin; 2.10 Pastaza basin region; 2.11 Cordillera del Cóndor lowlands; 2.12 What factors drive gradients in alpha and beta diversity in Ecuador Amazon forests?; 2.12.1 Climate and latitudinal and longitudinal gradients
2.13 The role of geomorphology and soils on the patterns of floristic change in Ecuadorian Amazonia2.14 Potential evolutionary processes determining differences in tree alpha and beta diversity in Ecuadorian Amazonia; 2.15 Future directions; References; Chapter 3 Geographical Context of Western Amazonian Forest Use; 3.1 Introduction; 3.2 Conditions set by the physical geography; 3.3 Pre-Colonial human development; 3.4 Colonial era; 3.5 Liberation and forming of nations; 3.6 World market integration and changing political regimes; 3.7 Characteristics of the present forest use
3.8 Present population and regional integrationReferences; Chapter 4 Forest Structure, Fruit Production and Frugivore Communities in Terra firme and Várzea Forests of the Médio Juruá; 4.1 Introduction; 4.2 Methods; 4.3 Results and discussion; 4.4 Conclusion; References; Chapter 5 Palm Diversity and Abundance in the Colombian Amazon; 5.1 Introduction; 5.2 Study area; 5.3 Methods; 5.4 Results; 5.4.1 Palms in terra firme forests (Figure 5.2); 5.4.2 Palms in floodplain and terrace forests (Figure 5.6); 5.5 Discussion; Acknowledgements; References
Chapter 6 Why Rivers Make the Difference: A Review on the Phytogeography of Forested Floodplains in the Amazon Basin6.1 Introduction; 6.2 The geological history of flood-pulsing wetlands in the Amazon Basin; 6.2.1 Through the Paleogene; 6.2.2 The Miocene; 6.2.3 The Quaternary; 6.3 Floodplain environments: why rivers make the difference; 6.3.1 Trees and flooding; 6.3.2 Trees and dispersal in semi-aquatic habitats; 6.3.3 Trees and alluvial soils; 6.3.4 Trees, hydro-geomorphic disturbance and light regimes; 6.3.5 Trees and wetland microclimates; 6.4 Conclusions; References
Notes
Chapter 7 A Diversity of Biogeographies in an Extreme Amazonian Wetland Habitat