Variation in species composition, abundance and microhabitat preferences among western Amazonian terra firme palm communities

Western Amazonia harbours one of the richest palm floras of the Neotropics. About 121 palm species and 33 genera occur in this region. Approximately 40% of these species and three monotypic genera (Aphandra, Itaya and Wendlandiella) are restricted to western Amazonia. Bactris (23 spp.), Geonoma (20 spp.), Attalea (17 spp.), Astrocaryum (11 spp.) and Oenocarpus (7 spp.) are the most well-represented genera in the region. Palms, however, are not homogeneously distributed across western Amazonia. A major change in palm composition occurs between Yasuni (eastern Ecuador) and Iquitos (eastern Peru). Species that are very abundant on the unflooded forest of Yasuni, such as Iriartea deltoidea or Prestoea shultzeana, are replaced by Socratea exorrhiza, Lepidocaryum tenue var. tenue or Iriartella stenocarpa in the Iquitos-Pebas region. Moreover, the distribution ranges of the majority of eastern Ecuadorean palms reach the Iquitos region, but the converse is not observed. Censuses of palm communities along transects, studies of microhabitat preferences of Oenocarpus bataua and documentation of the distribution limit of Astrocaryum species in the intermediate zone provide new insights on the floristic change that is occurring. Modern ecological constraints and geological history during the Cenozoic may explain the observed variations. (c) 2006 The Linnean Society of London