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Amazon River (amazon + river)
Selected AbstractsDetermination of Total Organic Carbon Content and ,13C in Carbonate-Rich Detrital SedimentsGEOSTANDARDS & GEOANALYTICAL RESEARCH, Issue 3 2007Valier Galy carbone organique; décarbonatation; solubilisation; sediment; carbonate The determination of total organic carbon content and composition in detrital sediments requires careful removal of their carbonate minerals. In detrital sediments containing large amounts of carbonates, including dolomite, this can only be achieved by liquid acid leaching that may solubilise a significant proportion of the organic carbon. For a set of detrital sediments from the Himalayan system and the Amazon River as well as five geological reference materials, we determined the proportion of organic carbon (Corg) solubilised during acid leaching. This proportion is significant for all analysed sediments and generally tends to increase with the organic carbon content. Compared to other types of sediments analysed, clay fractions extracted from river sediments and bed sediments with very low organic carbon content have high and low proportions of acid soluble Corg respectively. In Himalayan and Amazon river sediments, the proportion of Corg solubilised during acid leaching was relatively constant with average values of 14 and 19 % respectively. Thus, it is possible to correct the Corg content for the dissolved organic carbon content measured after decarbonation. Data presented here show that Corg dissolved during liquid acid leaching must be taken into account. After careful calibration, the method presented here should, therefore, be applied to any carbonate-rich detrital sediment. La détermination de la teneur totale en carbone organique et de sa composition dans des sédiments détritiques requiert leur décarbonatation préalable. l'élimination complète de carbonates tels que la dolomite ne peut être réalisée qu'au moyen d'une attaque avec un acide en phase liquide ce qui peut entrainer la solubilisation d'une partie du carbone organique. Pour un ensemble de sédiments détritiques provenant du système Himalayen et de l'Amazone ainsi que pour cinq matériaux géologiques de référence, nous avons déterminé la proportion de carbone organique (Corg) solubilisé lors de la décarbonatation. Celle-ci est significative pour l'ensemble des sédiments analysés et tend à augmenter avec la teneur en carbone organique. En comparaison avec les autres types de sédiments analysés, les fractions argileuses extraites de sédiments de rivière et les sédiments de fond très pauvres en Corg ont une proportion de Corg soluble dans l'acide respectivement élevée et faible. Dans les sédiments himalayens et amazoniens, la proportion de Corg solubilisé lors de la décarbonatation est plutôt constante avec des valeurs moyennes respectives de 14 et 19%. Nous pouvons donc calculer avec précision la teneur totale en carbone organique à partir de la teneur en Corg déterminée après décarbonatation. Nos données montrent que la solubilisation de Corg lors de la décarbonatation par un acide en solution est importante et doit être prise en compte lors de la détermination de la teneur en carbone organique. Moyennant une calibration minutieuse, la méthode que nous présentons devrait donc être utilisée pour l'analyse de sédiments détritiques riches en carbonates. [source] Mixing processes in the Amazon River at the confluences of the Negro and Solimões Rivers, Encontro das Águas, Manaus, BrazilHYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES, Issue 22 2009Alain Laraque Abstract The confluence of the rivers Negro and Solimões gives birth to the Amazon River near Manaus (Brazil). At their confluence, these two rivers with their very different physical and geochemical characteristics provide an interesting example of the mixing of waters along a reach of approximately one-hundred kilometres. The purpose of this article is to describe and explain the spatial configuration of the Solimões,Negro Rivers mixing zone, based on a systematic sampling survey carried out in September 1997, using a special sampler and an acoustic Doppler current profiler (Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler). The waters of the Negro River differ from those of the Solimões River in their lower velocity (0·3 vs 1 m s,1), conductivity (8 vs 80 µS cm,1 at 25 °C), turbidity (5 vs 80 NTU), pH (5·5 vs 7·0) and higher temperatures (by 1 °C). Due to their higher density, the waters of the Solimões River slide under those of the Negro River, and consequently, Negro River waters are located at the surface, close to the left bank, and Solimões River waters are located at the bottom, close to the right bank. The contact between the waters of the two rivers changes from a clearly defined vertical boundary to a diffuse horizontal boundary, as they move downstream. The complete mixing process takes more than 30 h and 100 km. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Biogeography of common dolphins (genus Delphinus) in the Southwestern Atlantic OceanMAMMAL REVIEW, Issue 1 2010Maurício TAVARES ABSTRACT 1The common dolphins (genus Delphinus) have one of most problematic taxonomies and complex distribution patterns of all cetaceans. Although the taxonomy and the distribution seem to have been clarified somewhat in the eastern North Pacific and Indo-Pacific Oceans, many questions remain in the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean (SWA). We review the biogeography of Delphinus in the SWA. 2We reviewed data from strandings, incidental catches and sightings since 1922. Systematic surveys were conducted in five major areas. Twenty-one natural history collections were examined, and 135 skulls were measured. 3A total of 184 records of common dolphins were compiled. Delphinus apparently occurs in three stocks in the SWA: one located in northern Brazil and two from southeastern Brazil (,22°S) to central Argentina (,42°S). Two distinct patterns in habitat use were observed by depth: in southeastern Brazil, sightings were restricted to coastal waters with water depths ranging from 18m to 70m. On the other hand, in the area that extends from southern Brazil to Central Argentina (from 28°S to 42°S), sightings were recorded in deeper waters, ranging from 71m to 1435m, with the exception of occasional coastal sightings. The cranial analyses demonstrated that both short-beaked common dolphins Delphinus delphis and long-beaked common dolphins Dephinus capensis occur in the SWA. 4In the SWA, Delphinus seems to occur near areas of high productivity. One stock is associated with the productive waters discharged by the Amazon River and possibily with the coastal upwelling system off the coast of Venezuela, while the other stocks are associated with the Cabo Frio upwelling system and the Subtropical Convergence. Our results indicate that the current taxonomy does not adequately reflect the amount of variation within the genus in the world. [source] Phylogeography, phylogeny and hybridization in trichechid sirenians: implications for manatee conservationMOLECULAR ECOLOGY, Issue 2 2006JULIANA A. VIANNA Abstract The three living species of manatees, West Indian (Trichechus manatus), Amazonian (Trichechus inunguis) and West African (Trichechus senegalensis), are distributed across the shallow tropical and subtropical waters of America and the western coast of Africa. We have sequenced the mitochondrial DNA control region in 330 Trichechus to compare their phylogeographic patterns. In T. manatus we observed a marked population structure with the identification of three haplotype clusters showing a distinct spatial distribution. A geographic barrier represented by the continuity of the Lesser Antilles to Trinidad Island, near the mouth of the Orinoco River in Venezuela, appears to have restricted the gene flow historically in T. manatus. However, for T. inunguis we observed a single expanding population cluster, with a high diversity of very closely related haplotypes. A marked geographic population structure is likely present in T. senegalensis with at least two distinct clusters. Phylogenetic analyses with the mtDNA cytochrome b gene suggest a clade of the marine Trichechus species, with T. inunguis as the most basal trichechid. This is in agreement with previous morphological analyses. Mitochondrial DNA, autosomal microsatellites and cytogenetic analyses revealed the presence of hybrids between the T. manatus and T. inunguis species at the mouth of the Amazon River in Brazil, extending to the Guyanas and probably as far as the mouth of the Orinoco River. Future conservation strategies should consider the distinct population structure of manatee species, as well as the historical barriers to gene flow and the likely occurrence of interspecific hybridization. [source] Spatial expansion and population structure of the neotropical malaria vector, Anopheles darlingi (Diptera: Culicidae)BIOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY, Issue 4 2009PEDRO M. PEDRO Extensive population structuring is known to occur in Anopheles darlingi, the primary malaria vector of the Neotropics. We analysed the phylogeographic structure of the species using the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I marker. Diversity is divided into six main population groups in South America: Colombia, central Amazonia, southern Brazil, south-eastern Brazil, and two groups in north-east Brazil. The ancestral distribution of the taxon is hypothesized to be central Amazonia, and there is evidence of expansion from this region during the late Pleistocene. The expansion was not a homogeneous front, however, with at least four subgroups being formed due to geographic barriers. As the species spread, populations became isolated from each other by the Amazon River and the coastal mountain ranges of south-eastern Brazil and the Andes. Analyses incorporating distances around these barriers suggest that the entire South American range of An. darlingi is at mutation,dispersal,drift equilibrium. Because the species is distributed throughout such a broad area, the limited dispersal across some landscape types promotes differentiation between otherwise proximate populations. Moreover, samples from the An. darlingi holotype location in Rio de Janeiro State are substantially derived from all other populations, implying that there may be additional genetic differences of epidemiological relevance. The results obtained contribute to our understanding of gene flow in this species and allow the formulation of human mosquito health protocols in light of the potential population differences in vector capacity or tolerance to control strategies. © 2009 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2009, 97, 854,866. [source] Beta diversity of frogs in the forests of New Guinea, Amazonia and Europe: contrasting tropical and temperate communitiesJOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY, Issue 5 2009Chris Dahl Abstract Aim, To test the hypothesis that animal communities within environmentally relatively uniform lowland forests are characterized by low beta diversity, both in tropical and in temperate areas. Location, Lowland forests in the basins of the Sepik and Ramu rivers in New Guinea, the Amazon river in Bolivia, and the Elbe and Dyje rivers in the Czech Republic. Methods, A network of 5,6 study sites spanning distances from 20,80 to 300,500 km in each study area was systematically surveyed for all frogs, using visual detection and call tracking. The community data were analysed for alpha and beta diversity. Results, Local (alpha) diversity of frog communities was similar in the two tropical areas, New Guinea (mean ± SE of 22 ± 1.4 species per site) and Amazonia (24 ± 1.7 species), but was significantly lower in Europe (8 ± 0.8 species). In Amazonia, 36 of the total of 70 species were recorded from single sites. In contrast, widespread species dominated in Europe, whereas New Guinea exhibited an intermediate pattern with both local and widespread species well represented. The rate of species accumulation across different sites was lowest in Europe, intermediate in New Guinea and highest in Amazonia. The regional species diversity, expressed as the combined number of species from five study sites, was 1.5 times higher than the local species diversity at a single site in Europe, 2.0 times higher in New Guinea and 2.7 times higher in Amazonia. The proportion of species shared between communities decreased with geographic distance in New Guinea and Europe, but not in Amazonia. Main conclusions, Frog communities in the lowland tropical rain forests of New Guinea and Amazonia had similar numbers of species, but differed in their beta diversity. More species in Amazonia had restricted distributions than in New Guinea. Both tropical areas had markedly higher alpha and beta diversity than the temperate area in Europe. [source] A New Species of Myxozoa, Henneguya rondoni n. sp. (Myxozoa), from the Peripheral Nervous System of the Amazonian Fish, Gymnorhamphichthys rondoni (Teleostei)THE JOURNAL OF EUKARYOTIC MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 3 2008CARLOS AZEVEDO ABSTRACT. Henneguya rondoni n. sp. found in the peripheral lateral nerves located below the two lateral lines of the fish Gymnorhamphichthys rondoni (Teleostei, Rhamphichthyidae) from the Amazon river is described using light and electron microscopy. Spherical to ellipsoid cysts measuring up to 110 ,m in length contained only immature and mature spores located in close contact with the myelin sheaths of the nervous fibres. Ellipsoidal spores measured 17.7 (16.9,18.1)-,m long, 3.6 (3.0,3.9)-,m wide, and 2.5 (2.2,2.8)-,m (n=25) thick. The spore body measuring 7.0 (6.8,7.3)-,m long was formed by two equal symmetric valves, each with an equal tapering tail 10.7 (10.3,11.0) ,m in length. The tails were composed of an internal dense material surrounded by an external homogeneous sheath of hyaline substance. The valves surrounded two equal pyriform polar capsules measuring 2.5 (2.2,2.8)-,m long and 0.85 (0.79,0.88)-,m (n=25) wide and a binucleated sporoplasm cell containing globular sporoplasmosomes 0.38 (0.33,0.42) ,m (n=25) in diam. with an internal eccentric dense structure with half-crescent section. Each polar capsule contains an anisofilar polar filament with 6,7 turns obliquely to the long axis. The matrix of the polar capsule was dense and the wall filled with a hyaline substance. The spores differed from those of previously described species. Based on the ultrastructural morphology of the spore and specificity to the host species, we propose a new species name H. rondoni n. sp. [source] Regionalization of methane emissions in the Amazon Basin with microwave remote sensingGLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY, Issue 5 2004John M. Melack Abstract Wetlands of the Amazon River basin are globally significant sources of atmospheric methane. Satellite remote sensing (passive and active microwave) of the temporally varying extent of inundation and vegetation was combined with field measurements to calculate regional rates of methane emission for Amazonian wetlands. Monthly inundation areas for the fringing floodplains of the mainstem Solimões/Amazon River were derived from analysis of the 37 GHz polarization difference observed by the Scanning Multichannel Microwave Radiometer from 1979 to 1987. L-band synthetic aperture radar data (Japanese Earth Resources Satellite-1) were used to determine inundation and wetland vegetation for the Amazon basin (<500 m elevation) at high (May,June 1996) and low water (October 1995). An extensive set of measurements of methane emission is available from the literature for the fringing floodplains of the central Amazon, segregated into open water, flooded forest and floating macrophyte habitats. Uncertainties in the regional emission rates were determined by Monte Carlo error analyses that combined error estimates for the measurements of emission and for calculations of inundation and habitat areas. The mainstem Solimões/Amazon floodplain (54,70°W) emitted methane at a mean annual rate of 1.3 Tg C yr,1, with a standard deviation (SD) of the mean of 0.3 Tg C yr,1; 67% of this range in uncertainty is owed to the range in rates of methane emission and 33% is owed to uncertainty in the areal estimates of inundation and vegetative cover. Methane emission from a 1.77 million square kilometers area in the central basin had a mean of 6.8 Tg C yr,1 with a SD of 1.3 Tg C yr,1. If extrapolated to the whole basin below the 500 m contour, approximately 22 Tg C yr,1 is emitted; this mean flux has a greenhouse warming potential of about 0.5 Pg C as CO2. Improvement of these regional estimates will require many more field measurements of methane emission, further examination of remotely sensed data for types of wetlands not represented in the central basin, and process-based models of methane production and emission. [source] Nitrogen fixation and denitrification in a floodplain forest near Manaus, BrazilHYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES, Issue 7 2003Heidi Kreibich Abstract The Amazon floodplain (várzea) is seasonally affected by water level fluctuations of the Solimões/Amazon River. The drastic environmental changes that occur also include microbiological processes, such as nitrogen (N2) fixation and denitrification. Both processes were measured in the soil by the acetylene reduction assay and the acetylene block method in a várzea forest on Ilha de Marchantaria, Central Amazonia, Brazil. In the surface soil horizon (0,5 cm), N2 fixation was highest during the exposed period (0·04,0·26 nmolN h,1 g,1 dry weight (dw)). In contrast, denitrification varied from 0 to 1·40 nmolN h,1 g,1 dw, with high rates during the submerged and the transition periods. No significant difference between locations with legume trees, with non-legume trees and without trees could be observed. N2 fixation rates of incubations (litter down to 450 cm depth) for samples collected during the exposed period ranged from 0 to 0·11 nmolN h,1 g,1 dw, with highest rates in the surface soil horizon (0,5 cm). Denitrification ranged from 0 to 0·05 nmolN h,1 g,1 dw, with the highest rate at 250,300 cm depth, which was just below the water table. The maximum N2 fixation rate (0·89 nmolN h,1 g,1dw) and denitrification rate (0·09 nmolN h,1 g,1 dw) occurred in the litter layer. On average, at least three times as much N is lost from the surface soil horizon via denitrification than is gained by N2 fixation annually, but the rates are strongly influenced by the flood pulse. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] | ||||||||||