Aspects of the hydrological cycle in the Amazon basin: a temporal and spatial study

• Grant number: 92/00362-1
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: June 01, 1992
• End date: June 30, 1995
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Ecology - Applied Ecology
• Principal Investigator: Reynaldo Luiz Victória
• Grantee: Reynaldo Luiz Victória
• Host Institution: Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura (CENA). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The hydrological cycle in Amazonia proves to be of great importance due to the huge volume of water involved. Annually the region receives 12x1,012m3 (2,200mm) of water through precipitation, and approximately 50 per cent of this total returns to the atmosphere through evapotranspiration, demonstrating the role of vegetation. We do not know, however, basic information relating to localized processes, which require a different scale of study. Our intention in this project is to refine our knowledge on two aspects of the region’s hydrological cycle: 1) in what manner does the transfer of the water from the atmosphere to the soil take place; 2) and how does part of this water return to the atmosphere via vegetation. To attain the first objective we intend to analyze the historic series of precipitation and prove whether most of the events are convective, as in Manaus, where in 80 per cent of the cases it rains less than 15mm. In the second case, through isotopic analyses we intend to identify the sources of vapor for the forest and from there to the atmosphere. (AU)