The floating forest: traditional knowledge and use of matupa vegetation islands by riverine peoples of the central Amazon.

ABSTRACT: Matupás are floating vegetation islands found in floodplain lakes of the central Brazilian Amazon. They form initially from the agglomeration of aquatic vegetation, and through time can accumulate a substrate of organic matter sufficient to grow forest patches of several hectares in area and up to 12 m in height. There is little published information on matupás despite their singular characteristics and importance to local fauna and people. In this study we document the traditional ecological knowledge of riverine populations who live near and interact with matupás. We expected that their knowledge, acquired through long term observations and use in different stages of the matupá life cycle, could help clarify various aspects about the ecology and natural history of these islands that fiel

SUBMITTER: de Freitas CT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4383509 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature