Why is riparian zone important

They include the floodplain as well as the riparian buffers adjacent to the floodplain. Riparian zones provide many environmental and recreational benefits to streams, groundwater and downstream land areas. Groundwater is usually found at shallower depths in riparian zones than in the surrounding landscape. Riparian zones are visually defined by a greenbelt with a characteristic suite of plants that are adapted to and depend on the shallow water table.

The extra moisture in riparian zones and associated wetlands , combined with the abundance of vegetation, creates a mat of decomposing material on top of the soil.

It is often damp because the water table is at or near the soil surface. This organic-rich layer aids in conserving moisture. The vegetation and spongelike quality of soils in wetlands, floodplains and riparian zones protect surface water in several ways.

Often, interactions between shallow groundwater in the riparian zone and surface water in the river regulate stream temperature in ways beneficial to fish and other aquatic creatures. Riparian Magic. Click here to add new content. Report an Emergency. Get in Touch. Site Map Non-Discrimination Policy.

Rooting herbaceous and woody vegetation helps shape aquatic habitat and stabilizes streambanks, retards erosion, and, in places, creates overhanging banks that serve as habitat for fish. Trapping sediment before it reaches the stream helps maintain a cleaner or more sediment-free stream bottom where aquatic organisms live.

These organisms are important sources of food for fish and birds. Riparian ecosystems are extremely productive and have diverse habitat values for wildlife. This is demonstrated most visibly in the western United States, where riparian habitat comprises less than 1 percent of the total land area at some time of the year but supports most of the terrestrial wildlife.

The linear nature of riparian ecosystems provides distinct corridors that are important as migration and dispersal routes and as forested connectors between habitats for wildlife. Some riparian areas meet the criteria established for wetlands. The functions of wetland and riparian areas generally depend on configuration, soils, vegetation, hydrology, and landscape context.

Even nonwetland riparian areas share many characteristics, functions, and values with wetlands; such as surface or ground water, or both, and several varieties of plant and animal communities. Flooding the the resulting erosion and deposition are common forces that shape the riparian area. During extreme flooding, these forces can sometimes appear devastating, but in most cases, the riparian area recovers rapidly. On the other hand, changes made by people often have long-term adverse effects on riparian areas.

Building dams across channels, constructing levees, and the channelization of the streams may have the most adverse impact. These modifications significantly alter the movement and storage of water that is so important to the riparian system. Water withdrawals from streams also may reduce base flow, depriving riparian areas of moisture. People's most common disturbance to riparian areas involves clearing vegetation and converting the area to other uses such as cropland and urban land.

Excessive logging can strip the banks of vegetation. Overgrazing concentrates livestock in riparian areas for extended periods, reduces the vegetation, and tramples streambanks. Recreational development can destroy natural plant diversity and structure, lead to soil compaction and erosion, and disturb wildlife. Exotic plants that take advantage of the good growing conditions found in riparian zones often invade these areas. As these plants dominate native plants, the overall vegetative diversity decreases, resulting in less favorable habitat for most wildlife species.

The character of a riparian area is dependent upon he condition of its watershed. Most important is the relationship of watershed hydrology to the riparian area. In general, the amounts and type of vegetative ground cover, the area of the watershed, and the slope of the terrain are directly related to the percentage of water that will enter the drainage system as surface flow or as percolated water.

Riparian plant composition, habitat structure, and productivity are determined by the timing, duration, and extent of flooding. Land use changes, paved-over areas, or the removal of vegetation cause water to flow quickly from a watershed and through a riparian zone. Soil moisture storage and productivity are reduced. This can lead to prolonged periods of no flow or low flow and increase frequency and duration of flooding, resulting in a drastic decline in productivity.

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