Riparian zone - Wikipedia
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Interface between land and a river or stream
"Riparian" redirects here. For the type of forest, see
Riparian forest
. For the legal doctrine, see
Riparian water rights
Not to be confused with
Ripuarian language
or
Ripuarian Franks
A riparian area is the transition from the aquatic area to the upland area. Vegetation is expected to change from species adapted to wetter sites near the channel to species adapted to drier sites in the upland, with a mixture of species occurring in between. In this example, an assessment of riparian function would consider the riparian areas, mixed riparian/upland areas, and aquatic area in the reach. Not all riparian areas have all of these features.
riparian zone
or
riparian area
is the interface between land and a
river
or
stream
In some regions, the terms
riparian buffer zone
riparian corridor
, and
riparian strip
are used to characterize a riparian zone. The word
riparian
is derived from
Latin
ripa
, meaning "
river bank
".
Riparian zones are transitional areas between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems that play a critical role in regulating hydrological processes, maintaining water quality, and supporting biodiversity. These zones influence groundwater–surface water exchange, stabilize riverbanks, and moderate nutrient and sediment transport.
Riparian vegetation also provides habitat connectivity for aquatic and terrestrial species while contributing to ecosystem services such as flood attenuation and temperature regulation.
Recent research emphasizes the vulnerability of riparian zones to land-use change, altered hydrological regimes, and climate variability, highlighting their importance in sustainable watershed management.
Riparian
is also the proper nomenclature for one of the terrestrial
biomes
of the
Earth
Plant habitats and communities along the river margins and banks are called riparian vegetation, characterized by
hydrophilic plants
Riparian zones are important in
ecology
environmental resource management
, and
civil engineering
because of their role in
soil conservation
, their habitat
biodiversity
, and the influence they have on
terrestrial
and
semiaquatic
fauna
as well as
aquatic ecosystems
, including
grasslands
woodlands
wetlands
, and even non-vegetative areas.
Riparian zones may be natural or engineered for soil stabilization or
restoration
citation needed
These zones are important natural
biofilters
, protecting aquatic environments from excessive
sedimentation
, polluted
surface runoff
, and
erosion
10
They supply shelter and food for many
aquatic animals
and shade that limits stream temperature change.
11
When riparian zones are damaged by
construction
agriculture
or
silviculture
, biological restoration can take place, usually by human intervention in
erosion control
and revegetation.
citation needed
If the area adjacent to a
watercourse
has standing water or saturated soil for as long as a season, it is normally termed a
wetland
because of its
hydric soil
characteristics. Because of their prominent role in supporting a
diversity of species
12
riparian zones are often the subject of national protection in a
biodiversity action plan
. These are also known as a "plant or vegetation waste buffer".
13
Research shows that riparian zones are instrumental in
water quality
improvement for both surface runoff and water flowing into streams through subsurface or
groundwater
flow.
Riparian zones can play a role in lowering nitrate contamination in surface runoff, such as manure and other
fertilizers
from
agricultural fields
, that would otherwise damage
ecosystems
and human health.
14
Particularly, the attenuation of
nitrate
or
denitrification
of the nitrates from
fertilizer
in this buffer zone is important.
15
The use of wetland riparian zones shows a particularly high rate of removal of nitrate entering a stream and thus has a place in agricultural management.
16
Also in terms of carbon transport from terrestrial ecosystems to aquatic ecosystems, riparian groundwater can play an important role.
17
As such, a distinction can be made between parts of the riparian zone that connect large parts of the landscape to streams, and riparian areas with more local groundwater contributions.
18
Additionally,
Richardson et al.
showed that warming, nutrient enrichment, and predators interactively affect emergence, decomposition, phenology, and carbon cycling in riparian-stream systems.
19
A well-preserved natural riparian strip on a tributary to
Lake Erie
Roles and functions
edit
Thick riparian vegetation along the
Pisuerga River
in
Spain
Riparian zones dissipate stream energy.
20
The
meandering
curves of a river, combined with vegetation and root systems, slow the flow of water, which reduces soil erosion and flood damage.
21
Sediment is trapped, reducing suspended solids to create less
turbid
water, replenish soils, and build stream banks.
22
Pollutants are filtered from surface runoff, enhancing water quality via biofiltration.
23
24
The riparian zones also provide
wildlife
habitat
, increased biodiversity, and
wildlife corridors
25
enabling aquatic and riparian organisms to move along river systems avoiding isolated communities.
26
Riparian vegetation can also provide
forage
for wildlife and livestock.
22
Additionally, riparian vegetation supports the reproduction of species such as dragonflies, whose diverse egg-laying strategies depend on the presence of specific plants and substrates along stream banks.
27
Riparian zones are also important for the fish that live within rivers, such as brook and charr.
28
Impacts on riparian zones can affect fish, and restoration is not always sufficient to recover fish populations.
29
30
They provide native
landscape
irrigation by extending seasonal or perennial flows of water.
31
Nutrients from terrestrial vegetation (e.g.
plant litter
and insect drop) are transferred to aquatic
food webs
, and are a vital source of energy in aquatic food webs.
32
The vegetation surrounding the stream helps to shade the water, mitigating
water temperature changes
. Thinning of riparian zones has been observed to cause increased maximum temperatures, higher fluctuations in temperature, and elevated temperatures being observed more frequently and for longer periods of time.
33
Extreme changes in water temperature can have lethal effects on fish and other organisms in the area.
32
The vegetation also contributes wood debris to streams, which is important to maintaining
geomorphology
34
Riparian zones also act as important buffers against nutrient loss in the wake of natural disasters, such as
hurricanes
35
36
Many of the characteristics of riparian zones that reduce the inputs of nitrogen from agricultural runoff also retain the necessary
nitrogen
in the ecosystem after hurricanes threaten to dilute and wash away critical nutrients.
37
38
From a social aspect, riparian zones contribute to nearby property values through amenity and views, and they improve enjoyment for footpaths and bikeways through supporting
foreshoreway
networks. Space is created for riparian sports such as fishing, swimming, and launching for vessels and paddle craft.
39
The riparian zone acts as a sacrificial erosion buffer to absorb impacts of factors including
climate change
, increased runoff from
urbanization
, and increased
boat wake
without damaging structures located behind a setback zone.
40
41
Role in logging
edit
The protection of riparian zones is often a consideration in
logging
operations.
42
The undisturbed soil, soil cover, and vegetation provide shade, plant litter, and woody material and reduce the delivery of
soil eroded
from the harvested area.
43
Factors such as soil types and
root
structures,
climatic
conditions, and vegetative cover determine the effectiveness of riparian buffering. Activities associated with logging, such as sediment input, introduction or removal of species, and the input of polluted water all degrade riparian zones.
44
Vegetation
edit
Riparian zone along Trout Creek in the
Trout Creek Mountains
, part of the Burns Bureau of Land Management District in southeastern
Oregon
. The creek provides critical habitat for
trout
The assortment of riparian zone trees varies from those of wetlands and typically consists of plants that are either emergent aquatic plants, or
herbs
trees
and
shrubs
that thrive in proximity to water.
45
In South Africa's
fynbos
biome, Riparian ecosystem are heavily invaded by alien
woody plants
46
Riparian plant communities along lowland streams exhibit remarkable species diversity, driven by the unique environmental gradients inherent to these ecosystems.
47
Riparian zones in Africa
edit
Riparian forest can be found in
Benin, West Africa
. In Benin, where the savanna ecosystem prevails, "riparian forests" include various types of woodlands, such as
semi-deciduous
forests, dry forests, open forests, and
woodland savannas
. These woodlands can be found alongside rivers and streams.
48
In
Nigeria
, you can also discover riparian zones within the Ibadan region of Oyo state. Ibadan, one of the oldest towns in Africa, covers a total area of 3,080 square kilometers and is characterized by a network of perennial water streams that create these valuable riparian zones.
48
In the research conducted by Adeoye et al. (2012) on land use changes in Southwestern Nigeria, it was observed that 46.18 square kilometers of the area are occupied by water bodies. Additionally, most streams and rivers in this region are accompanied by riparian forests. Nevertheless, the study also identified a consistent reduction in the extent of these riparian forests over time, primarily attributed to a significant deforestation rate.
49
In Nigeria, according to Momodu et al. (2011), there has been a notable decline of about 50% in the riparian forest coverage within the period of 1978 to 2000. This reduction is primarily attributed to alterations in land use and land cover. Additionally, their research indicates that if current trends continue, the riparian forests may face further depletion, potentially leading to their complete disappearance by the year 2040.
49
Riparian zones can also be found in
Cape Agulhas
region of South Africa.
citation needed
Riparian areas along South African rivers have experienced significant deterioration as a result of human activities. Similar to many other developed and developing areas worldwide, the extensive building of dams in upstream river areas and the extraction of water for irrigation purposes have led to diminished water flows and changes in the riparian environment.
citation needed
North America
edit
Water's edge
edit
Herbaceous Perennial
Peltandra virginica
– Arrow Arum
Sagittaria lancifolia
– Arrowhead
Carex stricta
– Tussock Sedge
Iris virginica
– Southern Blue Flag
Iris
Inundated riparian zone
edit
Herbaceous Perennial
50
unreliable source?
Sagittaria latifolia
– Duck Potato
Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani
– Softstem
Bulrush
Scirpus americanus
– Three-square Bulrush
Eleocharis quadrangulata
– Square-stem Spikerush
Eleocharis obtusa
Spikerush
Western
edit
In western North America and the Pacific coast, the riparian vegetation includes:
Riparian trees
51
Sequoia sempervirens
– Coast Redwood
Thuja plicata
– Western Redcedar
Abies grandis
– grand fir
Picea sitchensis
– Sitka Spruce
Chamaecyparis lawsoniana
– Port Orford-cedar
Taxus brevifolia
– Pacific Yew
Populus fremontii
– Fremont Cottonwood
Populus trichocarpa
– Black Cottonwood
Platanus racemosa
– California Sycamore
Alnus rhombifolia
– White Alder
Alnus rubra
– Red Alder
Acer macrophyllum
– Big-leaf Maple
Fraxinus latifolia
– Oregon ash
Prunus emarginata
– Bitter Cherry
Salix lasiolepis
– Arroyo Willow
Salix lucida
– Pacific Willow
Quercus agrifolia
– Coast live oak
Quercus garryana
– Garry oak
Populus tremuloides
– Quaking Aspen
Umbellularia californica
– California Bay Laurel
Cornus nuttallii
– Pacific Dogwood
Riparian shrubs
51
Acer circinatum
– Vine Maple
Ribes spp.
– Gooseberies and Currants
Rosa pisocarpa
– Swamp Rose or Cluster Rose
Symphoricarpos albus
– Snowberry
Spiraea douglasii
– Douglas spirea
Rubus spp.
– Blackberries, Raspberries, Thimbleberry, Salmonberry
Rhododendron occidentale
– Western Azalea
Oplopanax horridus
– Devil's Club
Oemleria cerasiformis
– Indian Plum, Osoberry
Lonicera involucrata
– Twinberry
Cornus stolonifera
– Red-osier Dogwood
Salix spp.
– Willows
Other plants
Polypodium
– Polypody Ferns
Polystichum
– Sword Ferns
Woodwardia
– Giant Chain Ferns
Pteridium
– Goldback Ferns
Dryopteris
– Wood Ferns
Adiantum
– Maidenhair Ferns
Carex spp.
– Sedges
Juncus spp.
– Rushes
Festuca californica
– California Fescue bunchgrass
Leymus condensatus
– Giant Wildrye bunchgrass
Melica californica
– California Melic bunchgrass
Mimulus spp.
– Monkeyflower and varieties
Aquilegia spp.
– Columbine
Asia
edit
In
Asia
there are different types of riparian vegetation,
52
but the interactions between hydrology and ecology are similar as occurs in other geographic areas.
53
Carex spp.
– Sedges
Juncus spp.
– Rushes
Australia
edit
A riparian zone in
Western Sydney
Typical riparian vegetation in temperate New South Wales,
Australia
include:
Acacia melanoxylon
– Blackwood
Acacia pravissima
– Ovens Wattle
Acacia rubida
– Red Stem Wattle
Bursaria lasiophylla
– Blackthorn
Callistemon citrinus
– Crimson Bottlebrush
Callistemon sieberi
– River Bottlebrush
Casuarina cunninghamiana
– River She-Oak
Eucalyptus bridgesiana
– Apple box
Eucalyptus camaldulensis
– River red gum
Eucalyptus melliodora
– yellow box
Eucalyptus viminalis
– manna gum
Kunzea ericoides
– Burgan
Leptospermum obovatum
– river tea-tree
Melaleuca ericifolia
– swamp paperbark
Central Europe
edit
Typical riparian zone trees in
Central Europe
include:
Acer campestre
– Field Maple
Acer pseudoplatanus
– Sycamore Maple
Alnus glutinosa
– Black Alder
Carpinus betulus
– European Hornbeam
Fraxinus excelsior
– European Ash
Juglans regia
– Persian Walnut
Malus sylvestris
– European Wild Apple
Populus alba
– White Poplar
Populus nigra
– Black Poplar
Quercus robur
– Pedunculate Oak
Salix alba
– White Willow
Salix fragilis
– Crack Willow
Tilia cordata
– Small-leaved Lime
Ulmus laevis
– European White Elm
Ulmus minor
– Field Elm
Repair and restoration
edit
Land clearing followed by floods can quickly erode a riverbank, taking valuable grasses and soils downstream, and later allowing the sun to bake the land dry.
54
55
Riparian zones can be restored through relocation (of human-made products), rehabilitation, and time.
44
Natural Sequence Farming
techniques have been used in the
Upper Hunter
Valley of
New South Wales
, Australia, in an attempt to restore eroded farms to optimum productivity rapidly.
56
The Natural Sequence Farming technique involves placing obstacles in the water's pathway to lessen the energy of a flood and help the water to deposit soil and
seep
into the flood zone.
57
Another technique is to quickly establish
ecological succession
by encouraging fast-growing plants such as "weeds" (
pioneer species
) to grow.
58
These may spread along the watercourse and cause
environmental degradation
, but may stabilize the soil, place carbon into the ground, and protect the land from drying. The weeds will improve the streambeds so trees and grasses can return and, ideally, replace the weeds.
59
60
There are several other techniques used by government and non-government agencies to address riparian and streambed degradation, ranging from the installation of bed control structures such as log sills to the use of pin groynes or rock emplacement.
61
Other possible approaches include control of invasive species, monitoring of herbivore activity, and cessation of human activity in a particular zone followed by natural re-vegetation.
62
Conservation efforts have also encouraged incorporating the value of
ecosystem services
provided by riparian zones into management plans, as these benefits have traditionally been absent in the consideration and designing of these plans.
62
63
Future research directions
edit
Recent literature highlights the need for long-term, interdisciplinary research on riparian systems, particularly under changing climatic and land-use conditions. Future studies may benefit from integrating hydrological modeling, ecological monitoring, and policy analysis to better understand riparian resilience and management effectiveness across different environmental settings.
64
Cottonwood Creek riparian area in southeastern
Oregon
before restoration, 1988
Cottonwood Creek riparian area during recovery, 2000
Cottonwood Creek riparian area after restoration, 2002
See also
edit
Environment portal
Ecology portal
Earth sciences portal
Wetlands portal
Accropode
Aquatic ecosystem
Bioswale
Bosque
Canebrake
Constructed wetland
Endorheic basin
Flood-meadow
Floodplain
Freshwater swamp forest
Gallery forest
Green belt
Marsh
Outwelling
Riparian forest
Riparian water rights
Riparian-zone restoration
Riprap
Várzea forest
Vernal pool
Vulnerable waters
Water-meadow
Wetland
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edit
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Further reading
edit
Nakasone, H.; Kuroda, H.; Kato, T.; Tabuchi, T. (2003). "Nitrogen removal from water containing high nitrate nitrogen in a paddy field (wetland)".
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(10):
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doi
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Mengis, M.; Schif, S. L.; Harris, M.; English, M. C.; Aravena, R.; Elgood, R. J.; MacLean, A. (1999). "Multiple Geochemical and Isotopic Approaches for Assessing Ground Water NO
Elimination in a Riparian Zone".
Ground Water
37
(3):
448–
457.
Bibcode
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doi
10.1111/j.1745-6584.1999.tb01124.x
Parkyn, Stephanie. (2004).
Review of Riparian Buffer Zone Effectiveness
. Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (New Zealand), www.maf.govt.nz/publications.
Tang, C.; Azuma, K.; Iwami, Y.; Ohji, B.; Sakura, Y. (2004). "Nitrate behaviour in the groundwater of a headwater wetland, Chiba, Japan".
Hydrological Processes
18
(16):
3159–
3168.
Bibcode
2004HyPr...18.3159T
doi
10.1002/hyp.5755
Riparian Bibliography, National Agroforestry Center
Archived
2015-04-24 at the
Wayback Machine
Conservation Buffer Design Guidelines
Archived
2015-05-12 at the
Wayback Machine
External links
edit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to
Riparian forests
Riparian Forest Buffers, National Agroforestry Center
Archived
2016-05-29 at the
Wayback Machine
Dissertation on riparian vegetation of Chalakudy River
Restoration strategies for riparian habitats, U.S. military
National Riparian Service Team, Bureau of Land Management
Riparian Habitat Restoration in the Las Vegas Wash
Red River Basin Riparian Project
Riparian Forest Buffers, Kansas State University
permanent dead link
The short film
Agroforestry Practices – Riparian Forest Buffers (2004)
is available for free viewing and download at the
Internet Archive
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