This study investigated the porosity and the hydraulic conductivity on the saturated zone of the soil trying to understand how these physical variables affect the hydrological processes, in an area of primary forest under urban pressure, in Central Amazonia. The experiment was carried out in the Adolpho Ducke Forest Reserve, located on the north of the city of Manaus - AM. One water measurement station (water level scale) was installed in the Igarapé Bolívia and four piezometers were installed in the site, the latter on the riparian zone, perpendicular to the course of the stream. The porosity varied in the soil profile, reaching values above 0.40 cm³/cm³. The mean values for the saturated hydraulic conductivity or basic infiltration (K) were high and varied from 89.5 ± 12.8 to 279.5 ± 9.0 mm/h. The stream water level varied from 65 to 141 cm in the observation period (November of 2005 to October of 2007). The deep soil layer piezometer, away from the water stream, varied from 166.2 e 304.9 cm. The hydraulic conductivities of the saturated soil increase with the distance from the stream on the two studied layers, determining the hydrological behavior of the water table in that site.
Hydrology; Porosity; Soil hydraulic conductivity; rain forest
