Geomorfologia, mudanças na fonte de matéria orgânica e vegetação em planícies de maré próximas a foz do rio Amazonas durante o Holoceno

Abstract

Geomorphological data, sedimentary facies, pollen, spores, carbon and nitrogen isotopes records, C/N ratio and radiocarbon dates allowed the identification and discussion about the relationship between the main morphological process, climatic signals and its influence on vegetation patterns of tidal flats near the mouth of the Amazon River during the last 5500 cal yr B.P. Therefore, data from the margin of Amazon River (Macapa site) indicate marine influence related to mangrove presence over a tidal mud flat between 5560 - 5470 cal yr BP and 5290 - 5150 cal yr BP. Afterward, the mangrove area shrank following the return of more humid conditions and increase of Amazon River discharge. A common reworking process of the tidal flat through the lateral migration of a meandering creek occurred in the study site, with later development of transitional vegetation under freshwater influence. Following the natural vegetation succession under stable climate and hydrological conditions, the expansion of varzea forests occurred since 600 - 560 cal yr BP until the present. Furthermore, regarding the tidal flats located west of the mouth of Amazon River (Amapa site), these stable conditions also allowed the mangrove maintenance over mudflats with deposition of marine organic matter during at least the last 2350 - 2300 cal yr BP. Processing and interpretation methods in optical and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images, data of water salinity, maximum height of flood, historical rain series and sedimentary facies were used in the analysis of the morphological and geobotanical units, and its short-term changes to understand the main processes acting on the tidal flats downdrift of the Amazon River mouth (Calcoene site) during the last 30 years. Thus, the study area was subdivided in two main compartments: coastal plain and plateau. The coastal plateau presents a flat to gently undulated surface shaped by erosive process. Avulsion of alluvial channel and birdfoot feature possibly related to six deltaic lobes were also identified in this compartment. The vegetation is represented by varzea (flooded freshwater forests) and savannah. The coastal plain has an average length of 10 km, and it presents the tidal-fluvial channel, paleochannels, lakes, varzea, inundated field (herbaceous field), mangrove, chenier ridges, elongated tidal mud bars, tidal mud and mixed flat (non-vegetated). The sedimentary facies indicate tide and wave-dominated environments. The presence of lakes and lake belts, coexistence of herbaceous field and mangrove in the coastal plain may be related to silting and abandonment of tidal channels. The temporal analysis of these features indicates the savannah contraction, expansion of varzea and mangrove areas and formation of extensive mud tidal flats during drier period under the influence of El Nino. The wetter period under the influence of La Nina probably allowed the increase of varzea and lakes over the savannah areas, and the expansion of mangrove. Therefore, the decrease of rainfall index during El Nino may have reduced the Calcoene River inflow and favored an increase of tidal propagation, transport and deposition of mud along the tidal-fluvial channel and its secondary channels with subsequent development of mangrove and stabilization of muddy substrate near the coastline in La Nina. Considering a longer time scale during the mid and late Holocene, the analysis of morphology, sedimentary facies, palynological, carbon and nitrogen isotopes, C/N and radiocarbon data from tidal flats in the Calcoene site, indicates that vegetation development during the mid and late Holocene occurred influenced by the interaction relative sea-level and tidal channel dynamic. The data indicate a mud-rich tidal flat that presents alternations between supra and intertidal environments. The proximal portion of the tidal flat is related to the transitional sector between the costal plateau and plain and represents the final filling stage of the concave-up feature formed by the abandoned channel that contributed to water accumulation under very low energy flows, fern and other terrestrial vegetation establishment surrounding the formed lake since 5280 - 5160 cal yr BP. During the last 2840 - 2750 cal yr BP, the source of mud ceased and autochthonous organic material became prevalent as well as the increase in contribution of terrestrial organic matter (C3 plants), mainly represented by varzea vegetation. Herbaceous field already colonized the tidal flat at least during the last 3170 - 2970 cal yr BP. However, part of distal portion of the tidal flat related to the herbaceous field was covered by chenier ridges between 3170-2970 and 220-140 cal yr BP. The mangrove establishment, characterized by estuarine organic matter, Rhizophora and Avicennia pollen, occurred after 1350-1290 cal yr B.P and 220-140 cal yr B.P. on G3 and G2 site, respectively. This stacking pattern of sediments indicating a retrogradation, with distal facies over proximal facies, and gradual transition of herbaceous to mangrove sediment (e.g. G3 site) suggesting that the creation of accommodation space may be produced during an increase of wave action, tidal inundation frequency and evolution of secondary channels in the study site as a result of progressive relative sea-level rise. The integration of all these data suggests that the morphological process, vegetation patterns and sources of organic matter from tidal flats of Calcoene, Amapa and Macapa sites was influenced and conditioned by the interaction between relative sea-level, climatic and hydrological changes, and tidal channel dynamic during the Holocene.