Amazonian headwater streams trail a heterogeneous landscape, with marked natural variation of geomorphological conditions and hydrological periods. Southern Brazilian Amazon is subjected to high degradation pressure, mainly from deforestation. Hence, we characterize pristine headwaters structure (hydromorphology and water physical-chemical variables) and variation among hydrological periods (dry, beginning of the rainy period and end of the rainy period), to define reference conditions for conservation-oriented classification, monitoring and rehabilitation of the southern Brazilian Amazon streams. Stretches of 10 pristine streams from the Teles Pires River, a major tributary of the Tapajós River, were analysed for hydromorphology, water physical-chemical variables and controlled for habitat integrity (forested proportion on buffer zones and habitat integrity index). We found variation among hydrological periods and spatial heterogeneity on pristine stream structure. Most variables showed great variation ranges at the same hydrological period and high variation coefficient values, reflecting the natural environmental heterogeneity among streams protected by a riparian forest. Variation among hydrological periods and spatial heterogeneity between streams in this region, combined with current high levels of deforestation, indicates the need for the conservation of a high proportion of streams and their respective riparian forests. Here, we have presented reference range values for monitoring and rehabilitation programs integrated in the Amazonian aquatic conservation efforts. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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