Foreword  10
by Junk, W.J.

Notes on contributors  13

INTRODUCTION  21
1 The Pantanal: A large South American wetland and its position in limnological theory  23
by Junk, W.J., Nunes da Cunha, C., da Silva, C.J. & Wantzen, K.M.

PART I: THE PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL ENVIRONMENT
2 Aspects of geological and sedimentological evolution of the Pantanal plain  47
by Irion, G., Buchas, H., Junk, W.J., Nunes da Cunha, C., De Morais, J.O. & Kasbohm, J.
3 The soil diversity of the Pantanal  71
by Couto, E.G.& Oliveira, V.A.
4 Hydrology of surface and ground waters in the Pantanal floodplains  103
by Girard, P.
5 A preliminary classification of habitats of the Pantanal of Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul, and its relation to national and international wetland classification systems  127
by Nunes da Cunha. C. & Junk, W.J.
6 Cerrado stream valleys and their vegetation: Structure, impacts by erosion, and recuperation strategies  143
by Wantzen, K.M., Nunes da Cunha, C. & Siqueira, A.
7 Hydrochemistry of lakes, rivers and groundwater  167
by Nogueira, F., Silveira, R., da Silva, C. J., Abdo, M., Girard, P. & Wantzen, K.M.
8 Biogeochemical characterization of water, plants and soils in the floodplains of the Northern Pantanal of Mato Grosso (Brazil) – A comparison with Central-Amazonian floodplains  199
by Finck, M., Furch, K. & Junk, W.J.

PART II: PLANT LIFE
9 Phytoplankton, periphyton, and metaphyton of the Pantanal floodplains: species composition and richness, density, biomass, and primary production  235
by Loverde-Oliveira, S.M., Adler, M. & Pinto Silva, V.
10 Species diversity, distribution, and biomass of aquatic macrophytes of the Pantanal  257
by Pott, V.J. & Pott, A.
11 Species diversity of terrestrial plants and human impact on the vegetation of the Pantanal  281
by Pott, A. & Ratter, J.A.
12 Landscape units of the Pantanal: structure, function, and human use  301
by Nunes da Cunha, C. & Junk, W.J.
13 Natural and cultivated pastures and their use by cattle  327
by Santos, S.A., Desbiez, A., Crispim, S.M.A., Comastri Filho, J.A., Abreu, U.G.P. & Rodela, L.G.

PART III: ANIMAL LIFE
14 Zooplankton: species diversity, abundance and community development  355
by Brandorff, G.-O., Pinto Silva, V. & Morini, A.A.E.T.
15 Benthic invertebrates of the Pantanal and its tributaries  393
by Wantzen, K.M., Callil, C. & Butakka, C.M.M.
16 Arthropods associated with a forest of Attalea phalerata Mart. (Arecaceae) palm trees in the Northern Pantanal  431
by Marques, M.I., Adis, J., Battirola, L.D., dos Santos, G.B. & Castilho, A.C.C.
17 Ecology of Pantanal fish  469
by Resende, E.
18 Diversity, ecology, management and conservation of amphibians and reptiles of the Brazilian Pantanal: a review  497
by Strüssmann, C., Prado, C.P.A., Ferreira, V.L. & Kawashita-Ribeiro, R.A.
19 The birds of the Pantanal  523
by Petermann, P.
20 Mammals in the Pantanal wetland, Brazil  565
by Tomas, W.M., Cáceres, N.C., Nunes, A.P., Fischer, E., Mourão, G. & Campos, Z.
21 Stable isotope ecology of the food webs of the Pantanal 599
by Wantzen, K.M. Fellerhoff, C. & Voss, M.

PART IV: HUMAN USE, IMPACTS, AND CONSERVATION
22 Fishery and fishing resources in the Pantanal  621
by Mateus, L.A.F., Catella, A.C. & Petrere Jr., M.
23 Ecology and management of Caiman yacare (Daudin 1802) of the Brazilian Pantanal  649
by Coutinho, M. & Campos, Z.
24 Ribeirinhos between ecological adaptation and modernisation  673
by Neuburger, M. & Da Silva, C.J.
25 Gold- mining near Poconé: environmental, social, and economic impact  695
by Callil, C. & Junk, W.J.
26 Human impacts and environmental problems in the Brazilian Pantanal  719
by Machado, R.B., Harris, M.B., Silva, S.M. & Ramos Neto, M.B.
27 Traditional knowledge in the Pantanal region in Brazil and potential usage in modern medicine: The legal framework for bioprospection in Brazil  741
by Teixeira de Souza Jr., P.
28 Traditional beef cattle ranching and sustainable production in the Pantanal  755
by Santos S.A., Abreu, U.G.P., Tomich, T.R. & Comastri Filho, J.A.
29 Traditional use of vegetation for cattle-raising in the Pantanal on the Brazilian-Bolivian border 775
by Carniello M.A., Guarim Neto G., Guarim V.L.M.dos S., Figueiredo Z.N. & Amorozo M.C.M.
30 Suggestions for a sustainable management concept for the Pantanal  795
by Wantzen, K.M., Nunes da Cunha, C., Junk, W.J., Girard, P., Carmen Rossetto, O., Penha, J.M., Couto, E.G., Becker, M., Priante, G., Tomas, W.M., Santos, S.A., Marta, J., Domingos, I., Sonoda, F., Curvo, M. & Callil, C.

CONCLUSIONS
31 Ecology, biodiversity and sustainable management of the Pantanal: a synthesis  835
by Junk, W.J., Wantzen, K.M., Nunes da Cunha, C. & da Silva, C.J.

Index  859