Topoclimatic zoning as the basis for adopting sustainable strategies in native-species silviculture in the Amazon

Sustainable silviculture with native tree species in the Amazon requires spatially explicit approaches that capture the climatic and physiographic heterogeneity that regulates species distribution and environmental correspondence. In this study, we developed a topoclimatic zoning framework to identify high, medium and low potential areas for adopting sustainable strategies in the silviculture of fifteen native Amazonian tree species across the Legal Amazon. We analyzed 7,643 georeferenced occurrence records and integrated climatic and physiographic variables related to precipitation thresholds, annual rainfall, relative humidity, standardized precipitation index, vapor pressure deficit, temperature regimes and altitude. The TOPZON framework identified distinct gradients of topoclimatic potential and differentiated species according to the territorial expression of favorable environmental conditions. Bertholletia excelsa, Dipteryx odorata and Dinizia excelsa showed the highest topoclimatic potential, with combined high and medium potential exceeding 96% of the mapped area, whereas Jacaranda copaia, Swietenia macrophylla and Virola surinamensis occupied an intermediate position. Cordia goeldiana, Simarouba amara, Schizolobium parahyba var. amazonicum and Copaifera multijuga exhibited the narrowest topoclimatic patterns, with combined high and medium potential below 80%. These results show that small variations in climatic water balance, vapor pressure deficit and relief generate marked differences in topoclimatic potential among native species and directly influence the spatial basis for silvicultural planning. By translating topoclimatic zoning into an operational portfolio of fifteen native tree species, this study guides sustainable silviculture, ecological restoration and climate-informed forest planning in the Amazon.