Tree species responses of western Amazonian floodplain forests to hydro-geomorphic disturbance as tool for predicting impacts caused through river damming and climate change

In this project, we investigate tree species richness, distribution and population structures, as well as flooding-growth responses of várzea tree species along the flooding gradient in three white-water rivers of the Andean-Amazonian transition zone in Bolivia, Southwestern Amazon basin. Overall aim is to detect species response curves along the flooding gradient, and in addition to potential differences in geomorphic activity of the respective river basins. The species response curves will provide ecological niche models that enable the prediction of tree species optima with reference to occurrence and stem abundance, along the flooding and associated abiotic gradients. The determination of tree ages and of yearly wood increment will in addition provide information on species responses in growth, vitality, and productivity. Ultimately, these data shall serve for modelling species and community changes under modified flood pulse regimes in partly or fully dammed river basins. Simultaneously, these data will serve as basis to model how modified flood regimes through climate change will affect the floodplain flora during the next decades and centuries.