Wetland landscapes of the Lower Paraná River floodplain from an eco-hydrogeomorphic approach

Abstract

This study aims to address the freshwater wetland landscape patterns of the Lower Paraná River floodplain and Delta region using an eco-hydrogeomorphic approach. We are motivated by the need for a better understanding of wetland diversity, ecosystem functioning, and the implications of human-driven changes and land use transformations. We built a geomorphologic (GEO) layer synthesizing the genesis and geoforms of the area. We developed hydrologic (HYDRO) layers to assess the distribution of shallow lakes and describe the main hydrosedimentological pulses. For the ecological (ECO) components we compiled information on vegetation and developed a layer of satellite-derived functional patterns as an indicator of landscape ecological dynamics. To assess the anthropogenic drivers, we summarized information on the main known anthropogenic wetland disturbances (ANTHRO). We integrated these multiple views with a spatially explicit methodology that uses GEO as the main spatial template to define the wetland landscapes. The Lower Paraná River region emerges as a fluvial-littoral complex with a large mosaic of wetland landscapes, distinguished by the diversity of eco-hydrogeomorphic situations that promotes the occurrence and establishment of high biodiversity and ecosystem functions. From this perspective, we built a detailed analysis of the emergent patterns that arose by integrating multiple views and information sources, contributing novel information and a comprehensive synthesis of the current knowledge of the Lower Paraná floodplain.