Floodplains and Floods

Healthy rivers are not confined to their channels. They regularly overflow into surrounding floodplains, and these floods are ecologically essential. Floodplains serve as nurseries for fish, feeding grounds for wading birds, and recharge zones for underground aquifers.

The Amazon's flooded forests (called varzea and igapo) are submerged for up to six months each year. Fish swim among tree trunks, feeding on fruits and seeds. Over 200 fish species in the Amazon depend on this seasonal flooding, making the rainforest floor one of the most unusual aquatic habitats on Earth.