CONTENTS 



Page 



PREFACE iii 



FIGURES vi 



TABLES X 



ACKNOWLEDGMENTS xii 



INTRODUCTION 1 



CHAPTER 1. MODERN AND PALEO-GEOMORPHOLOGY OF FLOODPLAINS 4 



Introduction 4 



Origin and Dynamics of Floodplains 4 



Features of Modern Floodplains 8 



Paleo-Geomorphology 12 



CHAPTER 2. HYDROLOGY 16 



Alluvial Rivers 16 



Blackwater Rivers 17 



Spring-fed Streams 17 



Bog and Bog-fed Streams 20 



Flooding Duration and Frequency 20 



CHAPTER 3. PHYSICOCHEMICAL ENVIRONMENT 21 



Chemical Characteristics of Rivers 21 



Physicochemical Characteristics of Floodplain Soils 23 



CHAPTER 4. FLORA OF BOTTOMLAND HARDWOOD COMMUNITIES 31 



Introduction 31 



The Anaerobic Gradient 31 



Plant Responses to Anoxia-related Stresses 32 



Plant Community Patterns in the Floodplain 37 



Disturbance and Succession in Bottomland Hardwood Plant Communities .... 76 



Primary Productivity of Floodplain Forests 80 



CHAPTER 5. FAUNA OF BOTTOMLAND HARDWOOD ZONES 84 



Fauna of Zones II and III 84 



Fauna of Zone IV 90 



Fauna of Zone V 91 



The Use of Bottomland Hardwood Zones by Fish 92 



Trophic Relationships 95 



Summary of Faunal Utilization 100 



CHAPTER 6. COUPLING WITH OTHER SYSTEMS 103 



Natural Couplings with Headwater Tributaries and Estuaries 103 



Coupling with River Deltas 104 



Chemical Coupling with the Uplands 104 



Modifications of River and Floodplain 105 



Chemical Coupling with the Water Table and Atmosphere 107 



Coupling Via Faunal Movements 107 



Summary 107 



REFERENCES 109 



APPENDIX: SOILS OF SOUTHEASTERN FLOODPLAINS 127 



