http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depression_(geology)

http://www.ncsu.edu/scilink/Brazil_description.htm

The coastal plains might present themselves with quite varied extensions, depending on the retreat of the Crystalline's escarpments. Past marine levels have oscillated in such a way as to cause sedimentation in different terraces, which are testimony to this alternating depositing. By the action of the tides, the deposit of marine sediments has occurred in the form of sandy strips, with some older terraces. Behind these deposits, and between the strips, depressions forming freshwater marshes or swamps might occur.

In the coastal plains' beach line, vegetation is adapted to the salty and sandy conditions under the tidal influences, and named halofila-psamofila, with reptilious herbaceous species of ample root systems. After this zone, over more stable strips, there is dense arboreal bushy vegetation, called jundu, with many terrestrial bromeliads. Its angular form is due to the abrasive action of sand particles on the buds facing the beach. It has an organic layer little developed, with the ground bromeliads performing the role of stabilizers of the sub-stratum and of retention of water and nutrients in the system. On the coast of Rio de Janeiro and Espírito Santo there are thickets formed by arboreal and shrubby species, intercalated by uncovered soil.

Over the sandy strips, depending on their age, there might be an established forest that is less exuberant than the Atlantic Forest, with similar flora, penetration of cerrado elements, few characteristic species, and many epiphytes. There are forests that are similar to the mountaintop forests in coastal escarpments, usually over more recent strips, with many Myrtaceae and terrestrial bromeliads.

In marine terraces, the occurrence of temporarily flooded areas supporting marsh forests is common. Between the strips there are depressions that might be permanently humid, sustaining paludal forests, with few adapted arboreal species and many bromeliads over the drenched soil.