Palms in Forest Ecosystems of Amazonia

1 Amazonian Palm Flora - General Considerations.- 1.1 Richness of Amazonian Palm Flora.- 1.2 The Major Groups of the Amazonian Palms.- 1.3 Palm Distribution in Amazonia.- 1.3.1 Spruce’s Palm Regions.- 1.3.2 Distribution of Genera in Amazonia.- 1.3.3 Distribution of Species in Amazonia.- 1.4 Conclusion.- 2 Life Forms of Amazonian Palms.- 2.1 Growth Models of Amazonian Palms.- 2.2 What Kind of Plants Are the Amazonian Palms?.- 2.2.1 Description of Palm Life Forms.- 2.2.2 Basal Branching.- 2.2.3 Leaves.- 2.2.4 Stems.- 2.2.5 Roots.- 3 Palm Communities in the Forest Ecosystems of Amazonia.- 3.1 Introduction.- 3.2 Methods.- 3.3 Unflooded Forests.- 3.3.1 Terra Firme Forests.- 3.3.2 Forests on Sandy Soils.- 3.4 Flooded Forests.- 3.4.1 Seasonal Swamp Forests.- 3.4.2 Forests on Alluvial Soils Periodically Flooded by Whitewater.- 3.4.3 Forests Periodically Flooded by Blackwater.- 3.4.4 Permanently Flooded Swamp Forests.- 3.4.5 Conclusions: Palms in Flooded Forests.- 3.5 Montane Forests.- 3.6 Secondary Forest.- 3.7 Savannahs.- 3.8 Inselbergs.- 3.9 Conclusion.- 3.9.1 Palm Diversity.- 3.9.2 Palm Density.- 3.9.3 Life Forms and Ecosystems.- 3.9.4 Key to Amazonian Forest Ecosystems Based on Their Palms.- 4 Palm Distribution as a Function of Soil Drainage, Topography, Forest Architecture and Dynamics, and Human Activities.- 4.1 Introduction.- 4.2 Soil Drainage and Topography.- 4.2.1 Distribution of Palm Species Along a Catena.- 4.2.2 Topography and Water Drainage in White-Sandy Soils.- 4.2.3 The Distribution of Jessenia bataua subsp. bataua.- 4.3 Forest Architecture and Dynamics.- 4.3.1 Sylvigenesis.- 4.3.2 A Comparison of Two Amazonian Terra Firme Forests.- 4.3.3 Arborescent Forms and Chablis.- 4.4 Topography, Soil Drainage, and Forest Architecture and Dynamics.- 4.4.1 Topography and Forest Architecture and Dynamics.- 4.4.2 Palms and Forest Architecture and Dynamics.- 4.4.3 Palms and Topography.- 4.4.4 Conclusion: Topography, Water, and Light.- 4.5 Human Activities.- 4.5.1 Palms Transported by Humans.- 4.5.2 Palms as Indicators of Human Activities.- 4.5.3 Palms, Humans, and Forest Architecture and Dynamics.- 5 Some Aspects of the Adaptive Radiation of Palms in Amazonia.- 5.1 Major Trends of the Adaptive Radiation of Palms.- 5.2 Some Phylogenic Aspects in Life Forms.- 5.2.1 Miniaturization or Gigantism.- 5.2.2 Modification of One Organ.- 5.3 Adaptive Value of Some Leaf and Root Structures.- 5.3.1 Distichous Crown.- 5.3.2 Pneumatophores.- 5.3.3 Stilt Roots.- 5.4 Overview of the Adaptive Radiation of Palms: Ecosystems, Life Forms, and Most Representative Species.- 5.4.1 Terra Firme Forests.- 5.4.2 Forests on Periodically Flooded Alluvial Soils.- 5.4.3 Forests Periodically Flooded by Blackwater.- 5.4.4 Swamp Forest on Organic, Permanently Flooded Soils.- 5.4.5 Seasonal Swamp Forests on Waterlogged, Irregularly Flooded Soils.- 5.4.6 Forests on Dry, White-Sandy Soils.- 5.4.7 Forests on Waterlogged, White-Sandy Soils.- 5.4.8 Submontane and Montane Forests.- 5.4.9 Savannahs.- 6 Palms as Functional Components in Forest Ecosystems.- 6.1 Introduction.- 6.2 Palm Productivity.- 6.2.1 Leaves.- 6.2.2 Flowers and Fruits.- 6.2.3 Productivity and Forest Ecosystems.- 6.3 Palms and Animals in Amazonian Forests.- 6.3.1 Pollination.- 6.3.2 Fruit Dispersal.- 6.3.3 Palms as Habitats.- 6.4 Palms as Litter Collectors.- 6.5 Discussion.- 7 Palms and Forest Management in Amazonia.- 7.1 Uses and Economic Potential of Amazonian Native Palms.- 7.1.1 Native Palms of Significant Economic Importance.- 7.1.2 Native Palms Important to the Gene Bank.- 7.1.3 Useful Native Palms of No Current Economic Importance.- 7.2 Useful Palms in Forest Ecosystems.- 7.2.1 Terra Firme Forests.- 7.2.2 Forests on White-Sandy Soils.- 7.2.3 Flooded Forest.- 7.3 Palms as a Key in Swamp Forest Management.- 8 Conclusion.- Supplement.- References.- Index of Latin Names.