The riparian forest on two compartiments of Iguaçu river, Paraná, Brazil

Abstract

This work aimed to demonstrate that geomorphic and pedologic factors, resulting from the interactions of geologic and climatic conditions, can determine important changes on the floristic composition of the same phytogeographic unit. Research was done considering geomorphic sites on aggradation and degradation surfaces, type of soils and their attributes, mainly considering the hydraulic saturation level, besides phytosociologics analyses on two segments on the floodplains of Iguaçu River, near by Curitiba and Uniao da Vitoria, PR. It was observed that floristic composition and distribution form of the riparian forests were directly related to the attributes studied. Among geomorphic characteristics the most important are form and height of the geomorphic features, those combined with soil texture and saturated permeability determine the water table depth, which is the most selective factor of the vegetative cover.