Amazon

'The range of topics included is impressively broad, covering ecology of aquatic and terrestrial environments, the geology and physiography of the basin, and the history, economics and econological impact of human development.' Australian Journal of Ecology, 12 (1987) '...well organized and abundantly illustrated... well produced and well edited, and is essential reading for all biologists, geographers, ecologists, and limnologists interested in the Amazon region.' American Scientist (May/June 1986) 'The nature of a book like this means a warehouse of information in which present and future scientists on the spot find an indispensable and rich source of data. Interested readers can roam in it, dreaming of a fascinating world of forms and functions.' Hydrobiological Bulletin, 19:1 (1985) 'The utilitarian value of the assemblage of articles, the wide spectrum of topics considered, the consistent expertness of the authors and the uniqueness of the collection make this book a very definite MUST for reachers in numerous fields tangential to limnology and ecology of tropical humid rain-forests.' Interciencia

• 1. Introduction: History of the discovery of the Amazon and of research of Amazonian waters and landscapes.- 2. The geological evolution of the Amazon basin and its mineral resources.- 3. The relief of the extra-Andean Amazon basin.- 4. Climatology of the Amazon region.- 5. The Amazon and its main affluents: Hydrography, morphology of the river courses, and river types.- 6. Water chemistry of the Amazon basin: The distribution of chemical elements among freshwaters.- 7. Sedimentation and sediments of Amazonian rivers and evolution of the Amazonian landscape since Pliocene times.- 8. Ecology of the várzea, floodplain of Amazonian whitewater rivers.- 9. Seasonal igapó-forests of Central Amazonian blackwater rivers and their terrestrial arthropod fauna.- 10. Ecology of aquatic macrophytes in Amazonia.- 11. Phytoplankton.- 12. Primary production in the Amazonian aquatic ecosystem.- 13. Zooplankton of Amazonian lakes and rivers.- 14. The fishes of Amazonia.- 15. The aquatic mammals and reptiles of the Amazon.- 16. Microbiology of Amazonian waters.- 17. Ecology, fisheries and fish culture in Amazonia.- 18. Diseases related to the aquatic environment in the Amazon.- 19. Hydrology of catchment areas of Central-Amazonian forest streams.- 20. Soils of the Amazon region.- 21. Clay minerals of Amazonian soils.- 22. The Amazonian forest.- 23. The role of fungi in Amazonian forests and in reforestation.- 24. Unifying principles of Amazonian landscape ecology and their implications.- 25. The indigenous peoples of Amazonia, their cultures, land use patterns and effects on the landscape and biota.- 26. Development planning and practices of economic exploitation in Amazonia. Recent trends in spatial organisation of a tropical frontier region in Brazil (1966–1981).- 27. Former andrecent utilizations of Amazonia and their impact on the environment.- 28. The conservation of nature in the Brazilian Amazonia.- 29. Present ‘development’ of Amazonia in the light of the ecological aspect of life, and alternative concepts.