CONICET | Buscador de Institutos y Recursos Humanos

Vegetation associated to the Paraná River is subject to conditions imposed bythe pulse regime. This study aimed to evaluate the pulse regime influence on the vegetationof the Paraná River islands. Using multivariate techniques for classification and ordination,six communities were identified and described: willow forests of marginal levees, riverineforest of internal levees, floating meadows, floating rooted plants, a tall grass herbaceouscommunity and a marshy community. The forests were the most diverse and the richestcommunities while the floating meadows and the marshy community were less rich anddiverse. Our results indicate that duration and recurrence of floods are important variablesin determining the characteristics of the vegetation. However, forests with a similar floodrecurrence and duration showed important differences in physiognomy, structure and floristiccomposition. The differences between the forests could be explained by the connectivitydegree, geomorphological dynamics and succession time.