We sought to investigate spatial and temporal variability of environmental quantities in the Caxiuanã National Forest. Some studies on the spatial variability of temperature and specific humidity (q) have already been carried out, however, research is still incipient and this work seeks to advance in this direction. In addition, experimental studies that seek to identify important horizontal variability for the study of biodiversity are also being contemplated within this work. To carry out the analysis of temporal and vertical variability we used temperature data measured below the canopy (on average 32 meters high) in 2005 from station 445 located at the LBA Project tower in Caxiuanã. Regarding temperature, some interesting aspects were observed through graphs. In all height levels where measurements were taken, the maximum reached was at 2 PM, and the minimum at 6 AM. During the entire period, in the lower regions of the canopy (up to 8 meters), stability dominated, because the gradient remained positive. However, the same did not occur in the higher levels (8, 16 and 30 meters). During the night and early morning, the gradient becomes negative, evidencing the existence of mixing and turbulence. With respect to q, the mixing process varies according to the time of year. In a rainy month, although the virtual potential temperature gradients indicate that mixing may be occurring, the vertical gradients of q remain positive, a fact observed in graphs. In drier months, the tendency to have moisture mixing increases. It was also found that at the level closest to the ground there is only a maximum and a minimum of q (for the rainy month, at 2 and 6 pm, and for the dry month, at 4 and 7 pm, respectively).
The variability of litter occurs both vertically and horizontally. Along a transect, extending from the riverbank to the plateau, some interesting variations in the amount of organic matter removed from the soil were observed. In the regions close to the river, the greatest variation in matter occurs, while the farther and higher one goes, the variation is smaller; however, the tendency is for the concentration of matter to increase as one moves away from the river and increases the height in relation to it.
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