Psammic Peinobiomes

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xiv

   PDF

2. Introduction

   • O. Huber, E. Medina, P. García Montero, J. A. Zinck

   Pages 1-5

3. White-Sand Ecosystems in the Amazon Region: Location, Distinctive Features, Ecology. A Review

   • P. García Montero

   Pages 7-52

4. Forest and Woodland Biomes

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 53-53

      PDF

   2. The Forests of the Upper Rio Negro (North-Western Amazon) and Adjacent South-Western Orinoco Basins: A Phytosociological Classification

      • H. Arellano-Peña, D. Cárdenas-López, J. Stropp, N. Castaño-Arboleda, G. Romero-González, F. Castro-Lima et al.

      Pages 55-109

   3. Amazon Caatinga Complex: Sclerophyllous Vegetation on Nutrient-Poor White-Sand Soils

      • E. Medina, E. Cuevas

      Pages 111-134

5. Meadow Biomes

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 135-135

      PDF

   2. Multi-Temporal and Multi-Platform Satellite-Based Mapping of White Sand Ecosystems

      • H. F. del Valle, G. Metternicht, J. A. Zinck

      Pages 137-182

   3. Study Areas: Landscapes and Soils

      • J. A. Zinck, H. F. del Valle, O. Huber, P. García Montero

      Pages 183-238

   4. Soil Properties, Formation, Distribution, and Classification

      • J. A. Zinck, P. García Montero

      Pages 239-294

   5. Origin and Sources of Sand: From Highlands to Lowlands

      • J. A. Zinck, P. García Montero

      Pages 295-323

   6. Sand Dynamics and Distribution in Meadow Environment: A Geo-Pedological Approach

      • J. A. Zinck, P. García Montero

      Pages 325-394

   7. Features and Trends of Meadow Landscape Evolution

      • J. A. Zinck, P. García Montero

      Pages 395-444

   8. Plant Diversity and Endemism of the White-Sand Open Vegetation in the Lowlands of the Amazonas State, Venezuela

      • J. R. Grande A., O. Huber, R. Riina

      Pages 445-518

   9. Ecophysiological Features of the Lowland meadow’s Species within the Upper Rio Negro and Orinoco Basins

      • E. Medina

      Pages 519-529

6. Synthesis

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 531-531

      PDF

   2. Synthesis

      • J. A. Zinck, E. Medina, P. García Montero

      Pages 533-541

The book represents a multidisciplinary approach to understanding soil–landscape–vegetation relationships and, specifically, the ecophysiology of plant communities developing on sandy soils of very low fertility that are subject to seasonal flooding. It provides an overview of the white sand ecosystems within the Amazon basin, and focuses on the forest and herbaceous (meadows) vegetation growing on the dystrophic sandy soils of the upper Negro and Orinoco river basins. 
Several chapters describe physiographic aspects of the study area using integrated remote sensing and in situ sampling. By doing so they attain a comprehensive description of the origin and evolution of soils and landscapes, an advanced classification of soils, and a mapping of the geographic distribution of psammophilous vegetation. 
This volume also provides a phytosociological classification of extensive forested areas, and a detailed description of the structure and diversity of little-known herbaceous formations.
It targets professionals in the fields of ecology, ecophysiology, geomorphology, soils, vegetation, and the environmental sciences. The information it offers may be of significant use to researchers, protected area planners, and environmental policy makers.

• white-sand ecosystems
• geopedology
• tropical peinobiomes
• dystrophic soils
• white-sand forests
• white-sand meadows
• vegetation and soil sampling
• plant physiological ecology
• Amazon basin
• Rio Negro
• Caatinga
• phytodiversity
• endemism
• plant communities
• Orinoco
• forest and herbaceous ecosystems
• landscape evolution and vulnerability

• Faculty of Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands

  Joseph Alfred Zinck

• Museum of Nature South Tyrol, Bolzano, Italy

  Otto Huber

• Private Activity, Soil Survey and Environmental Planning, Caracas, Venezuela

  Pedro García Montero

• Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas, Centro de Ecología, Caracas, Venezuela

  Ernesto Medina

Alfred Zinck: Bachelor in Geography and Master in Edaphology and Geomorphology, University of Strasbourg, France. Doctorate in Regional Planning, University of Bordeaux, France. Postdoc Soil Science Dept. University of California Berkeley, USA. Emeritus Prof., Faculty of Geo-information Science and Earth Observation (ITC), University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands.

Otto Huber: Bachelor in Biology (1969) Università degli Studi di Roma, Roma (Italy). Doctor degree in Botany and Geography, Leopold-Franzens- Universität, Innsbruck (Austria) 1976. Specialist in neotropical floristics and phytogeography, (the Guayana region, the Orinoco savannas, and the cloud forest of the coastal range in Venezuela). Ecologist of Ministry for the Environment (MARNR-CODESUR), Amazonas state (1977-1983). Scientific consultant (CVG - EDELCA) and (MARNR) for ecology, and environmental impact (1986-1992)(Venezuela). Coordinator, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ)/Germany (1992-1994) (project: Amazonian Center for Environmental Research  (CAIAH), Amazonas state, Venezuela). 

Pedro García Montero: Ing. Agr. Universidad Central de Venezuela (UCV) 1975. Master of Science (Soil Science), University of Florida, USA (1984).Long-term staff member of the governmental electric power company (CVG – EDELCA, Venezuela) and Ministry of the Environment (MARNR). Professor of Soil Science at the Universidad Central de Venezuela (UCV). Environmental Consultant. Member of the Orinoco Group.

Ernesto Medina: Bachelor in Biology (1961), Universidad Central de Venezuela (UCV). Doktor Acker, Universität Hohenheim, Germany (1964). Postdoc. Department of Plant Biology, Carnegie Institution of Washington, USA (1970). Emeritus Researcher, Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas (IVIC). Adjunct Scientist of the International Institute of Tropical Forestry (USDA), Puerto Rico.

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