A riparian forest or riparian woodland is a forested or wooded area of land adjacent to a body of water such as a

river A river is a natural flowing watercourse, usually freshwater Fresh water or freshwater is any naturally occurring liquid or frozen water containing low concentrations of dissolved salts and other total dissolved solids. Although the ...

stream A stream is a continuous body of surface water flowing within the bed and banks of a channel. Depending on its location or certain characteristics, a stream may be referred to by a variety of local or regional names. Long large streams a ...

, pond,

lake A lake is an area filled with water, localized in a basin, surrounded by land, and distinct from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake. Lakes lie on land and are not part of the ocean, although, like the much lar ...

, marshland,

estuary An estuary is a partially enclosed coastal body of brackish water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea. Estuaries form a transition zone between river environments and maritime environm ...

canal Canals or artificial waterways are waterways or engineered channels built for drainage management (e.g. flood control and irrigation) or for conveyancing water transport vehicles (e.g. water taxi). They carry free, calm surface fl ...

, sink or

reservoir A reservoir (; from French ''réservoir'' ) is an enlarged lake behind a dam. Such a dam may be either artificial, built to store fresh water or it may be a natural formation. Reservoirs can be created in a number of ways, including control ...

Etymology

The term

riparian A riparian zone or riparian area is the interface between land and a river or stream. 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 a ...

comes from the Latin word ''ripa'', 'river bank'; technically it only refers to areas adjacent to flowing bodies of water such as rivers, streams, sloughs and estuaries. However, the terms ''riparian forest'' and '' riparian zone'' have come to include areas adjacent to non-flowing bodies of water such as ponds, lakes, playas and reservoirs.

Characteristics

Riparian forests are subject to frequent inundation. Riparian forests help control

sediment Sediment is a naturally occurring material that is broken down by processes of weathering and erosion, and is subsequently transported by the action of wind, water, or ice or by the force of gravity acting on the particles. For example, sa ...

, reduce the damaging effects of flooding and aid in stabilizing stream banks. Riparian zones are transition zones between an upland terrestrial environment and an aquatic environment. Organisms found in this zone are adapted to periodic flooding. Many not only tolerate it, but require it in order to maintain health and complete their lifestyles.

Threats

Threats to riparian forests: * Cleared for agricultural use because of the good soil quality * Historically, trees used as wood fuel for steamships, steam locomotives, etc.https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/waterrights/water_issues/programs/bay_delta/docs/cmnt081712/sldmwa/katibahabriefhistoryofriparianforestsinthecentral%20.pdf * Urban development (housing, roads, malls, etc.) * Grazing * Mining * Disrupted hydrology, such as dams and levees, which reduces the amount and/or frequency of flooding * Invasive species

References

External links

"Assessing the Need for a Riparian Management System (RiMS)"
��Iowa State University Extension Bulletin (2002) Forests Habitats Riparian zone {{habitat-stub

Etymology

Characteristics

Threats

See also

References

External links