Until now there has never been a monograph devoted to the Pantanal, the world's largest wetland. The subject has received scant attention in the international literature, so a number of scattered Portuguese papers are reviewed for an English-language readership. The book presents a broad treatment of the Pantanal, ranging from geology to flora, fauna, and the human presence. The publication of this book is most timely, and will be of crucial importance in decisions affecting the ambitious project for a second South American inland Waterway.

This book provides readers with in-depth insights into the changes in the Pantanal wetland from its formation to the actual and likely future states. It reveals that today’s Pantanal is an evolutionary consequence of geological, ecological and, more recently, man-made events taking place at distinct space-time intervals. Topics include geotectonics and sun-earth interactions, which largely dictate the rate of drastic changes that eventually disrupt ecological stability and radically rebuild the regional landscape. Furthermore, the biota-climate system is discussed as a major driver reshaping the ecohydrology functioning of the landscape on an intermediate timescale. Also covered are major changes in the landscape ecohydrology and biodiversity due to recent land-use and climate changes induced by humankind in the Anthropocene. The ability to recognize how those temporal scales impact the Pantanal wetland provides the opportunity for wise management approaches and the sustainable development of the region.

A ground breaking study of primates that live in flooded habitats around the world.

"The Natural Resources Book in Wetlands From Pantanal to Amazonia edited by the Museu Paraense Emilio Goeldi / National Pantanal Research Institute is to promote the publication, dissemination and socialization in the national and international scope of the intellectual production on Biodiversity, Biotechnology and Innovation that deals exclusively with the Pantanal Biome and Amazon Biome through information on the biological diversity of populations and communities of animals, plants and microorganisms and their ecological patterns and processes, Development of technologies, patents and innovations, as well as biotechnological products and processes based on biodiversity. It contemplated researches carried out by teachers and Students of the Doctoral Program in Biodiversity and Biotechnology in Network Regional North Pará; Doctors and Students of the Doctoral Program in Network Regional Center West (MT, MS, GO and DF) and Researchers of the National Institute of Science and Technology in Wetlands (INAU)."--Page 5.

Introduction to wetlands of Brazil; Brazilian wetlands: natural wetlands, man-made wetlands, protected areas, environmental legislation, wetlands administration; The inventory; Amazon basin; Tocantins-Araguaia basin; Sao Francisco river basin; Plantina basin; Uruguay river basin; Parana river basin; Paraguay river basin; Pantanais Mato-Grossense; Pantanal Mato-Grossense National Park; Cara-Cara Federal Biological Reserve; Taiama (or Taima) Ecological Station; Summary of the socio-economic and environmental situation of the Paraguay basin; Northeast Basin; East basin; Southeastern-southern basin.

Central Amazonian floodplain forests are an unique and endangered ecosystem. The forests grow in areas that are annually flooded by large rivers during mean periods of up to 8 months and at depths of up to 10 m. Despite this severe stress, these forests consist of over 1,000 species and are by far the most species-rich floodplain forests worldwide. The trees show a broad range of morphological, anatomical, physiological, and phenological adaptations that enable them not only to survive the adverse environmental conditions, but also to produce large amounts of biomass when the nutrient levels in water and soils are sufficiently high. This is the case in the floodplains of white-water rivers, which are used for fisheries, agriculture, and cattle-ranching but which also have a high potential for the production of timber and non-timber products, when adequately managed. Latest research on ecophysiology gives insight how tree species adapt to the oscillating flood-pulse focusing on their photosynthesis, respiration, sap flow, biochemistry, phenology, wood and leave anatomy, root morphology and functioning, fruit chemistry, seed germination, seedling establishment, nitrogen fixation and genetic variability. Based on tree ages, lifetime growth rates and net primary production, new concepts are developed to improve the sustainability of traditional forest managements in the background of an integrated natural resource management. This is the first integrative book on the functioning and ecologically oriented use of floodplain forests in the tropics and sub-tropics.It provides fundamental knowledge for scientist, students, foresters and other professionals on their distribution, evolution and phytogeography. “This book is an excellent testimony to the interdisciplinary collaboration of a group of very dedicated scientists to unravel the functioning of the Amazonian Floodplain forests. They have brought together a highly valuable contribution on the distribution, ecology, primary production, ecophysiology, typology, biodiversity, and human use of these forests offering recommendations for sustainable management and future projects in science and development of these unique wetland ecosystems. It lays a solid scientific foundation for wetland ecologists, foresters, environmentalists, wetland managers, and all those interested in sustainable management in the tropics and subtropics.” Brij Gopal, Executive Vice President International Society for Limnology (SIL).