The Seasonal Succession of Biotic Communities in Wetlands of the Tropical Wet-and-Dry Climatic Zone: I. Physical and Chemical Causes and Biological Effects in the Pantanal of Mato Grosso,Brazil

The tropical wet-and-dry climatic zone is characterized by aquatic environments that cover extensive areas during part of the year and shrink to small standing water bodies or rivers with minimal water levels during the dry seasons. Even in the small permanent water bodies, the conditions fluctuate radically during each annual cycle. While there are often strong currents in the water courses during the high water periods, most aquatic habitats are strictly lentic during the dry seasons. Studies conducted in the Pantanal of Mato Grosso, one of the largest wetlands of the world, revealed major features of changes in physical and chemical parameters during the annual cycle. The general features of the climate include a hot, rainy period usually lasting from late October through late April, a cool, dry period from late April through late August, and a hot, dry period from late August through late October. Considerable year to year variations are encountered in the dates of onset and end of the various seasons, however. Four annual periods are recognized according to the water level in the Pantanal. Generally, the concentrations of dissolved inorganic substances are very low and stable during the high water period and variable and usually high in the remaining standing water bodies when much of the region has dried out. The amount of mineral nutrients increases as the water level rises during the early rainy season but decreases again as the aquatic macrophyte populations develop. Some of the reasons for the many short-term changes in mineral nutrient concentrations and the roles of the various aquatic communities are discussed. The results presented will serve as a basis for subsequent studies on the seasonal succession of the flora and fauna.