Physicochemical features of Amazonian water typologies for water resources management

Abstract

Today, an increasing amount of hydrochemical data indicate that the chemical composition of Amazonian rivers varies much more than the traditional classification indicates. In this first comprehensive review of Amazonian river chemistry, we synthesized critical information from 400 scientific publications and distinguish the types: white, black, clear, intermediate type A and type B. We show the distribution of such rivers across the Amazon basin and the limitations of such approach. These insights into Amazonian river classification provide a new understanding of their baseline limnological conditions. They have implications for sustainable management of Amazonian freshwater systems.