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1
Hickey, M. Brian C., and Bruce Doran. "A Review of the Efficiency of Buffer Strips for the Maintenance and Enhancement of Riparian Ecosystems." Water Quality Research Journal 39, no. 3 (2004): 311–17. http://dx.doi.org/10.2166/wqrj.2004.042.
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Abstract Vegetative buffer strips are being widely promoted as an effective technique to protect rivers and streams from the negative impacts of adjacent land uses including forestry and agriculture. An extensive review of the literature revealed that despite the intuitive appeal of buffer strips, data demonstrating their efficacy is highly variable and most studies demonstrating significant nutrient removal in buffer zones come from studies undertaken in riparian buffers greater than 30 m wide. These buffers are much wider than what land managers can typically expect farmers to remove from active production in order to protect water quality. Research attempting to demonstrate the efficacy of riparian buffers needs to focus on buffer widths that are within the range that landowners are likely to "give up" in the name of water quality protection. Lack of experimental evidence from buffers in the 1- to 10-m width range typically encountered on farms makes it difficult to draw definitive conclusions about the efficacy of riparian buffers in agricultural areas.
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Aron, Joan L., Robert K. Hall, Michael J. Philbin, and Robin J. Schafer. "Using watershed function as the leading indicator for water quality." Water Policy 15, no. 5 (2013): 850–58. http://dx.doi.org/10.2166/wp.2013.111.
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Diffuse nonpoint source (NPS) pollutants, such as sediment, nitrogen, phosphorus, and pathogens, have become the primary cause of water quality impairments in the United States of America. Resource management agencies in the USA are expanding the use of tools for the assessment of ecosystem function in water quality programs to control NPS pollution to meet US Clean Water Act objectives. Assessing the ecosystem function of upland and riparian areas provides the context for monitoring data that can improve the targeting of best management practices for NPS pollution, and be a leading (early) indicator for more timely decisions about aquatic habitat and water quality. Assessment of watershed function can be applied to prioritizing resources, developing indicators, monitoring aquatic habitat and water quality, and implementing adaptive management plans to restore degraded ecosystems that are producing NPS pollution. This paper presents three examples of progress in the institutionalization of this approach to water quality programs for sustainable and healthy watersheds that affect federal, state, tribal, and private landowners. Future work should refine the approach by evaluating the benefits, costs, and effectiveness of the use of watershed function in water quality programs.
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Luke, Stacey H., Nancy J. Luckai, Janice M. Burke, and Ellie E. Prepas. "Riparian areas in the Canadian boreal forest and linkages with water quality in streams." Environmental Reviews 15, NA (2007): 79–97. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/a07-001.
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Riparian areas in the Canadian boreal forest represent the transition zone between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. We review factors that influence riparian vegetation communities and the associated interactions with boreal streams. Regional and local drivers (e.g., climate, edaphic factors, and natural disturbances) that affect upland boreal vegetation also operate in riparian areas. However, the proximity of riparian areas to the stream channel not only modifies some of these drivers, but it means that the stream itself becomes a driver of riparian vegetation dynamics. For example, hydrological disturbances like flooding and ice scour affect soil texture and alter successional pathways, sometimes completely denuding streambanks of vegetation. Even in riparian areas unaffected by such catastrophic disturbances, saturated soil conditions can influence riparian forest composition and nutrient cycling. Saturated soils support lower mineralization rates, therefore organic layers store relatively more carbon and nitrogen than adjoining upland soils, and primary productivity is generally lower. Saturated soils also have implications for the ability of the riparian area to “buffer” streams from inputs of water and nutrients. For example, reducing conditions in riparian soils could be the sites for nitrate removal from groundwater by denitrification. Spatial variation in weather, soils, vegetation cover, slope, accumulation of organic matter, geographic location, and relief undoubtedly add to the complexity of understanding the role of riparian systems in Canada’s vast boreal forest. However, the opportunity to identify patterns relating to riparian areas will assist in our understanding and management of these multifaceted systems.
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Zaimes, George N., and Valasia Iakovoglou. "Assessing Riparian Areas of Greece—An Overview." Sustainability 13, no. 1 (2020): 309. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su13010309.
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Riparian areas, especially in the Mediterranean, offer many ecosystem services for the welfare of society benefits from their sustainable management. This study presents different tools used to assess riparian areas of Greece and their results. Riparian areas with different land-uses/vegetation covers along streams or torrents were assessed. The assessment tools were visual protocols, bioindicators, geographic information systems (GIS), vegetation indices, and a model. These tools differ in scale, accuracy, and difficulty of implementation. The riparian areas had Low and Moderate quality in Greece because of agricultural activities and hydrologic alterations. Vegetation appeared more important for the integrity of riparian areas than stream flow (perennial or intermittent). In addition, territorial variables (distance from dam and sea) were more influential compared to climatic variables. Visual protocols and GIS were effective for preliminary assessments. GIS can be applied at a greater scale but was less accurate than the protocols. Bioindicators can provide more cost-effective monitoring than physicochemical water variables. Finally, vegetation indices and models can be used for larger spatial and temporal scales, but require specialized personnel. Overall, riparian areas of Greece seem to be degraded, and monitoring would contribute to the development of a database on riparian areas that should form the basis for sustainable management plans in Greece.
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Clausen, J. C., K. G. Wayland, K. A. Saldi, and K. Guillard. "Movement of Nitrogen through an Agricultural Riparian Zone: 1. Field Studies." Water Science and Technology 28, no. 3-5 (1993): 605–12. http://dx.doi.org/10.2166/wst.1993.0465.
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Forested riparian areas are believed to be important for reducing nonpoint source pollutants. These areas along streams, lakes, and wetlands have been reported to trap sediment and nutrients and enhance denitrification. Past research on the effectiveness of riparian areas has been based on existing forests rather than restored areas. An experiment using the paired-watershed design was established in northeastern Connecticut during 1992 to determine the water quality effects of reforestation on a riparian zone currently cropped in maize. Water quality fluxes in precipitation, overland flow, soil solution, groundwater, and streamflow were determined. Results indicate that this 35 m wide riparian zone had little attenuating influence on N concentrations in groundwater based on NO3−N concentrations and NO3−N:C1 ratios. The primary N flux to the stream was in the groundwater. Denitrification did not appear to be a major process operating in this system. Reforestation of this riparian buffer should result in improved surface and groundwater quality.
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Gkiatas, G., I. Kasapidis, P. Koutalakis, et al. "Enhancing urban and sub-urban riparian areas through ecosystem services and ecotourism activities." Water Supply 21, no. 6 (2021): 2974–88. http://dx.doi.org/10.2166/ws.2021.114.
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Abstract Riparian ecosystems in urban environments are usually degraded. Their sustainable management can reduce water pollution, mitigate climate change while providing recreation opportunities. This study assessed the current condition of the streams/torrents and their riparian areas in the city of Drama in Greece. In addition, practices to improve their functionality and enhance community awareness were recommended. A spatial database of the wider urban setting including suburbs and rural areas (weather, land cover, soils, roads, protected areas, riparian areas, etc.) was developed within GIS. The datasets were then inputted in a hydrologic model to simulate the water balance and stream discharge in the main urban streams and torrents. Field measurements of stream water discharge, and vegetation and stream channel conditions were undertaken using two visual protocols. The results of the protocols indicate that most streams/torrents and their riparian areas are of low ecological quality. Nature-based solutions were recommended to improve their ecological quality. In addition, the implementation of Eco-Routes was recommended to enhance the awareness of their importance and to promote their sustainable management. Overall, the urban streams/torrents and riparian ecosystems of Drama are degraded and innovative management practices should be implemented to conserve them and feature their ecosystem services.
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Warren, Robert J., Daniel L. Potts, and Kelly M. Frothingham. "Stream Structural Limitations on Invasive Communities in Urban Riparian Areas." Invasive Plant Science and Management 8, no. 3 (2015): 353–62. http://dx.doi.org/10.1614/ipsm-d-14-00081.1.
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AbstractUrban riparian plant communities exist at the interface between terrestrial and aquatic habitats, and they are rich sources of species biodiversity and ecosystem services. The periodic floods that promote species diversity in riparian plant communities also increase their vulnerability to nonnative plant invasions. Plant invasions are constrained by seed and suitable habitat availability. However, how seed dispersal and establishment limitations interact to shape nonnative plant invasions in riparian communities is poorly understood. We use Stream Visual Assessment Protocol data to evaluate the hydrological and geomorphological parameters that influence the seeding and establishment of six common nonnative species in urban riparian habitats: garlic mustard, purple loosestrife, reed canarygrass, common reed, Japanese knotweed, and multiflora rose. To address this objective, we analyzed stream reach data collected during a basin-wide environmental assessment of the extensively urbanized upper Niagara River watershed. We found limited support for our prediction that propagule limitation constrains the distribution of nonnative riparian species, likely because these species are well established in the study area. Instead, we found that opportune stream reach characteristics better predict the distribution of the common invasive riparian species—most notably open tree canopy. Given that there is widespread investment in urban riparian forest restoration to improve water quality, increase stream-bank stability, enhance wildlife habitat and promote recreation, our data suggest that riparian forests may provide the additional benefit of reducing the abundance of some, but not all, invasive plants.
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McClain, Michael E., and Rosa E. Cossío. "The use of riparian environments in the rural Peruvian Amazon." Environmental Conservation 30, no. 3 (2003): 242–48. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0376892903000237.
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River margins are valued for agriculture in the western Amazon because of their fertile soils and level surfaces. Riparian forests along river margins also provide valuable ecosystem services by protecting water quality and providing resources to aquatic organisms. Because inhabitants of the region rely on these aquatic resources, riparian deforestation may have unintended negative feedbacks on the health and well-being of rural communities. A survey of 79 households of mixed cultural background investigated how riparian environments were used, what mechanisms were in place for their conservation, and how local people valued them. Corn, beans and peanuts were cultivated preferentially in riparian areas, complementing the manioc and plantains grown on upland soils. People valued riparian areas for their ecosystem services and generally left a protective buffer of forest along rivers. Both the agricultural and ecological values of riparian areas may be preserved through proper management.
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Beltrão, Gabriel de Barros Moreira, Elvio Sergio Figueredo Medeiros, and Robson Tamar da Costa Ramos. "Effects of riparian vegetation on the structure of the marginal aquatic habitat and the associated fish assemblage in a tropical Brazilian reservoir." Biota Neotropica 9, no. 4 (2009): 37–43. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/s1676-06032009000400003.
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Riparian zones represent areas of strong biological, physical and chemical interaction between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. These areas are usually typified by high diversity of fauna, flora and environmental processes. The present study evaluates the littoral habitat structure and its fish fauna related to associations between presence and absence of natural riparian vegetal cover, in a reservoir in northeastern Brazil. Sampling was performed on marginal areas where riparian vegetation was present and where it had been removed for the plantation of sugar cane. For each type of marginal area three replicate sites were sampled during the wet season. Data on the habitat structure (submerged elements and substrate composition), fish and water quality were collected. The data was analyzed using Shannon-Wiener's diversity index and Pielou's equitability. Non-metric Multidimensional Scaling and the Multi-Response Permutation Procedure were used to evaluate similarities between sites. The structure of the habitat was more diverse in sites were natural riparian vegetation was still present. Muddy substrate was more abundant in areas with riparian vegetation whereas sandy substrate was more abundant in areas where riparian vegetation had been removed. Measured physico-chemical parameters and nutrients remained nearly constant across all sites. Metynnis lippincottianus and Crenicichla menezesi were more associated with the habitat in areas where riparian vegetation was removed, whereas Cichlasoma orientale and Cichla ocellaris were strongly correlated to forested areas.
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Valera, Carlos, Teresa Pissarra, Marcílio Filho, et al. "The Buffer Capacity of Riparian Vegetation to Control Water Quality in Anthropogenic Catchments from a Legally Protected Area: A Critical View over the Brazilian New Forest Code." Water 11, no. 3 (2019): 549. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/w11030549.
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The riparian buffer width on watersheds has been modified over the last decades. The human settlements heavily used and have significantly altered those areas, for farming, urbanization, recreation and other functions. In order to protect freshwater ecosystems, riparian areas have recently assumed world recognition and considered valuable areas for the conservation of nature and biodiversity, protected by forest laws and policies as permanent preservation areas. The objective of this work was to compare parameters from riparian areas related to a natural watercourse less than 10 m wide, for specific purposes in Law No. 4761/65, now revoked and replaced by Law No. 12651/12, known as the New Forest Code. The effects of 15, 30 and 50 m wide riparian forest in water and soil of three headwater catchments used for sugar cane production were analyzed. The catchments are located in the Environmental Protection Area of Uberaba River Basin (state of Minas Gerais, Brazil), legally protected for conservation of water resources and native vegetation. A field survey was carried out in the catchments for verification of land uses, while periodical campaigns were conducted for monthly water sampling and seasonal soil sampling within the studied riparian buffers. The physico-chemical parameters of water were handled by ANOVA (Tukey’s mean test) for recognition of differences among catchments, while thematic maps were elaborated in a geographic information system for illustration purposes. The results suggested that the 10, 30 or even 50 m wide riparian buffers are not able to fulfill the environmental function of preserving water resources, and therefore are incapable to ensure the well-being of human populations. Therefore, the limits imposed by the actual Brazilian Forest Code should be enlarged substantially.
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Omar, Siti Rahmah, Johan Sohaili, and Nur Fadilah Darmansah. "The cooling effect potential of urban river reserve in Johor, Malaysia." MATEC Web of Conferences 250 (2018): 06002. http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/matecconf/201825006002.
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The Malaysian riparian buffer strip is also called the river reserve. As the state authority has the right to reserve state land for public purposes, there is high prospect to preserve green space in urban areas. Urban riparian, however, has been used only for bank stabilization, biodiversity, and water quality purposes. Prior studies verified that vegetated riparian minimises outdoor thermal condition, in comparison to impervious surface areas. Strategic distribution of green space and cooling sources in city planning are vital for maximum efficiency of green strategies. Hence, this paper determined the cooling effect potential of urban riparian structure on local thermal environment by investigating three river reserve areas. Thermal measurements were recorded at six locations perpendicular to the riverbank at 20m intervals, along with a census of vegetation formation. Although the riparian zoning was located along the same river, different widths and various vegetation formations affected thermal distribution. The ΔTioutcomes indicated that despite the small and restricted green space allocated in urban areas, the cooling effect was still present. Hence, green strategies must be carefully crafted to maximize use of space. The effects of urban riparian structure generate the multi-functions of urban river reserve, especially its cooling effect.
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Baker, Matthew E., Michael J. Wiley, and Paul W. Seelbach. "GIS-BASED HYIROLOGIC MODELING OF RIPARIAN AREAS: IMPLICATIONS FOR STREAM WATER QUALITY." Journal of the American Water Resources Association 37, no. 6 (2001): 1615–28. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1752-1688.2001.tb03664.x.
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Iori, Piero, Reginaldo Barboza Da Silva, Moacir De Souza Dias Junior, Ricardo Nakamura, and Luis Carlos Ferreira De Almeida. "Soil quality analysis in riparian areas for soil and water resource management." Archives of Agronomy and Soil Science 66, no. 5 (2019): 572–85. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03650340.2019.1630822.
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Yirigui, Lee, and Nejadhashemi. "Multi-Scale Assessment of Relationships between Fragmentation of Riparian Forests and Biological Conditions in Streams." Sustainability 11, no. 18 (2019): 5060. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su11185060.
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Due to anthropogenic activities within watersheds and riparian areas, stream water quality and ecological communities have been significantly affected by degradation of watershed and stream environments. One critical indicator of anthropogenic activities within watersheds and riparian areas is forest fragmentation, which has been directly linked to poor water quality and ecosystem health in streams. However, the true nature of the relationship between forest fragmentation and stream ecosystem health has not been fully elucidated due to its complex underlying mechanism. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships of riparian fragmented forest with biological indicators including diatoms, macroinvertebrates, and fish. In addition, we investigated variations in these relationships over multiple riparian scales. Fragmentation metrics, including the number of forest patches (NP), proportion of riparian forest (PLAND), largest riparian forest patch ratio (LPI), and spatial proximity of riparian forest patches (DIVISION), were used to quantify the degree of fragmentation of riparian forests, and the trophic diatom index (TDI), benthic macroinvertebrates index (BMI), and fish assessment index (FAI) were used to represent the biological condition of diatoms, macroinvertebrates, and fish in streams. PLAND and LPI showed positive relationships with TDI, BMI, and FAI, whereas NP and DIVISION were negatively associated with biological indicators at multiple scales. Biological conditions in streams were clearly better when riparian forests were less fragmented. The relationships of NP and PLAND with biological indicators were stronger at a larger riparian scale, whereas relationships of LPI and DIVISION with biological indicators were weaker at a large scale. These results suggest that a much larger spatial range of riparian forests should be considered in forest management and restoration to enhance the biological condition of streams.
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Fernández, Romina Daiana, Sergio Javier Ceballos, Ana Lucía González Achem, Margarita del Valle Hidalgo, and Hugo Rafael Fernández. "Quality and Conservation of Riparian Forest in a Mountain Subtropical Basin of Argentina." International Journal of Ecology 2016 (2016): 1–10. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/4842165.
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The aims of this work were to describe the conservation status of riparian forests located in a mountain subtropical basin of Tucumán province, Argentina, and assess how the quality of riparian forests is related with altitude, plant species richness, proportion of exotic species, and Total Suspended Solids (TSS) in adjacent rivers. Composition and species richness of riparian forests were studied at 16 sites located along an altitudinal gradient and TSS was determined from water samples collected in each site. In order to evaluate conservation status of riparian forests, we calculated an index of Quality of Yungas Riparian Forests (QBRy). We recorded 90 plant species at all sites, from which 77% were native. QBRy index was mainly associated with altitude and varied from riparian forests with good preservation or slightly disturbed to those with extreme degradation. At lower altitude, forests were more disturbed, more invaded by exotic plant species, and closer to urban and cropped areas. QBRy was not correlated with species richness or TSS. Like other riparian forests of Argentina, plant species invasion increased their degradation; therefore, future studies should focus on native riparian forests conservation and on the management of invasive plant species, which affect their quality.
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Weilert, Trina, Wei Ji, and Opeyemi Zubair. "Assessing the Impacts of Streamside Ordinance Protection on the Spatial and Temporal Variability in Urban Riparian Vegetation." ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information 7, no. 7 (2018): 282. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijgi7070282.
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Preserving riparian vegetation is important for maintaining water quality and riparian functions. Streamside protection ordinances have been widely established in many rapidly urbanizing areas, however, there has been a lack of assessment of the effectiveness of such ordinances. A study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of riparian vegetation preservation with and without ordinance protection. SPOT imagery was used to classify landscape changes over time (1992 through 2012) across multiple jurisdictions and pre- and post-ordinance implementation periods. Results indicated the spatial and temporal patterns of vegetation change differed by administrative areas and ordinance boundaries. The rate of tree loss and gains in developed lands in ordinance-protected areas generally increased following implementation of ordinances but at a lower rate than in non-ordinance areas. These findings suggest spatial and temporal monitoring of riparian ordinance implementation across adjacent jurisdictions is important to ensure the full effects of the ordinance protection on stream systems. Such monitoring and assessments can be used by local decision makers to adapt existing ordinances or in the development of new ordinances.
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Chang, H., P. Thiers, N. R. Netusil, et al. "Relationships between environmental governance and water quality in a growing metropolitan area of the Pacific Northwest, USA." Hydrology and Earth System Sciences 18, no. 4 (2014): 1383–95. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/hess-18-1383-2014.
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Abstract. We investigate relationships between environmental governance and water quality in two adjacent growing metropolitan areas in the western US. While the Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, Washington metro areas share many common biophysical characteristics, they have different land development histories and water governance structures, providing a unique opportunity for examining how differences in governance might affect environmental quality. We conceptualize possible linkages in which water quality influences governance directly, using monitoring efforts as a metric, and indirectly by using the change in the sale price of single-family residential properties. Governance may then influence water quality directly through riparian restoration resulting from monitoring results and indirectly through land use policy. We investigate evidence to substantiate these linkages. Our results showed that changes in monitoring regimes and land development patterns differed in response to differences in growth management policy and environmental governance systems. Our results also showed similarities in environmental quality responses to varying governance systems. For example, we found that sales prices responded positively to improved water quality (e.g., increases in DO and reductions in bacteria counts) in both cities. Furthermore, riparian restoration efforts improved over time for both cities, indicating the positive effect of governance on this land-based resource that may result in improved water quality. However, as of yet, there were no substantial differences across study areas in water temperature over time, despite an expansion of these urban areas of more than 20 % over 24 years. The mechanisms by which water quality was maintained was similar in the sense that both cities benefited from riparian restoration, but different in the sense that Portland benefited indirectly from land use policy. A combination of long-term legacy effects of land development, and a relatively short history of riparian restoration in both the Portland and Vancouver regions, may have masked any subtle differences between study areas. An alternative explanation is that both cities exhibited combinations of positive indirect and direct water quality governance that resulted in maintenance of water quality in the face of increased urban growth. These findings suggest that a much longer-term water quality monitoring effort is needed to identify the effectiveness of alternative land development and water governance policies.
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Nel, Lyndre. "Riparian conservation management needs habitat quality mapping." Columella : Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences 7, no. 2 (2020): 15–23. http://dx.doi.org/10.18380/szie.colum.2020.7.2.15.
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Riparian habitat quality has a significant influence on the water quality of rivers, primary resources for urban and agricultural use. River water quality deteriorates where normal ecological functioning is disrupted by harmful impacts from nearby land-use types. Important rivers are typically managed and protected by government-led conservation programs. These programs often lack a key tool for efficient conservation management, habitat quality mapping. The Berg River, an important water source in South Africa, was used as a case-study to assess how habitat quality mapping could broaden the current scope of river conservation programs. The river faces threats from nearby urban settlements, industrial areas, mining, encroachment, and agricultural practices. The aim of this study was to develop habitat quality and habitat degradation maps for a section of the Berg River to assess the value that mapping holds for conservation managers and spatial planners. InVEST modelling software and ArcGIS was used to produce these habitat quality maps based on land-use/land-cover and threat impact data. The resulting maps showed several specific locations of heavily threatened and degraded riparian habitat that had not specifically been included in current government conservation management or spatial planning. Habitat quality mapping is an important tool that conservation managers and spatial planners can use to successfully address habitat degradation and protection while facing resource limitations, such as lack of funding. Oversight of degraded riparian habitats will lead to further decreases in river water quality, adversely affecting human welfare and local economies.
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Fu, B. L., Y. Li, Y. Q. Wang, E. T. Gao, and D. L. Fan. "STUDY ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PHYSICAL STRUCTURAL INTEGRALITY AND ECOSYSTEM SERVICES VALUE IN THE RIPARIAN ZONE." ISPRS - International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences XLII-3/W10 (February 8, 2020): 839–47. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-xlii-3-w10-839-2020.
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Abstract. Riparian zone is crucial to the health of streams and their surrounding environment. A healthy riparian zone can provide food, habitats, protecting water quality and many other ecological functions and environmental benefits. Evaluating riparian quality is essential to achieve and maintain good stream health, as well as to guarantee the ecological functions that riparian areas provide. In this study, we addressed the consistency of characterizing integrality of ecosystem of a riparian zone in Northeast China with physical structural integrality (PSI) and ecosystem service value (ESV), and explored the relationship between the PSI and ESV. The procedures included (1) evaluation of PSI of the riparian zone based on remote sensing; (2) calculation of the riparian ESV based on basic evaluation units (BEUs); (3) exploration of statistical relationships between the PSI and the ESV by the performance of linear regression. The study concluded that the trend of PSI was the same as the ESV, and they were consistent in describing the quantitative trend of the riparian zone’s ecosystem integrity. There was statistically significant correlation (R = 0.66, P < 0.01 level) between PSI and ESV.
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Fritzsons, Elenice, and Luis Eduardo Mantovani. "PROTECTION OF RIPARIAN FORESTS AND WATER QUALITY IN A BASIN IN THE ATLANTIC FOREST BIOME." FLORESTA 51, no. 2 (2021): 283. http://dx.doi.org/10.5380/rf.v51i2.62957.
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AbstractThe water quality of a drainage basin depends on the vegetation and soil of the region, land use and riparian forests, which act as a filter to protect the watercourse. For three years, we monitored several water quality parameters (turbidity, color, pH, conductivity, dissolved solids, alkalinity, and nitrate and chloride concentrations) in six adjacent microbasins to assess how riparian forests and land use affect water quality. The location is part of the Atlantic forest biome, with high-altitude humid subtropical climate and mixed ombrophilous forests. We designed a land use charter of the basin and a conflict map for fluvial permanent preservation areas. Land use included mainly natural forests, forestry, buildings, agriculture, and pastures. The multiple correlation analyses included: the water quality parameters, conflicts with permanent preservation areas, and land uses in river basins. In 51% of the basin, land uses complied with fluvial PPA legislation, but in 49% we found conflicts with other land use typologies and a lack of riparian forests. The quality of the water changed throughout the seasons and when fluvial PPAs conflicted with agriculture, buildings, and pastures. The different land uses in the basins did not influence the parameters of water quality and the same occurred with precipitation on water quality.
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Halofsky, Jessica E., and David E. Hibbs. "Relationships among indices of fire severity in riparian zones." International Journal of Wildland Fire 18, no. 5 (2009): 584. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wf07050.
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There is no standard quantitative measure of fire severity. Although different measures of fire severity are often assumed to be closely related, information on the relationships between these measures of fire severity is limited. Information on the relationship between various fire severity indices is particularly lacking for riparian zones, critical areas of the landscape for both habitat and water quality. The present study explores relationships among several ground-based and remotely sensed indices of fire severity in riparian areas of recent fires in Oregon, including ground-based indices of overstorey fire severity (crown scorch and basal area mortality) and understorey fire severity (height of bole char and exposed mineral soil). There were relatively strong associations between the two overstorey indices of fire severity and also between the two understorey indices of fire severity. However, there were weaker associations between understorey and overstorey fire severity indices, suggesting they are at least partially independent. Results also suggested weak associations between ground-based fire severity indices and remotely sensed fire severity assessments in riparian areas. Overall, we show there are limitations to the interpretation and use of these commonly used fire severity assessments in riparian areas.
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Chang, H., P. Thiers, N. R. Netusil, et al. "Relationships between environmental governance and water quality in growing metropolitan areas: a synthetic view through the coupled natural and human system lens." Hydrology and Earth System Sciences Discussions 10, no. 6 (2013): 7395–424. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/hessd-10-7395-2013.
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Abstract. We investigate relationships between environmental governance and water quality in two adjacent, growing metropolitan areas in the western US. While the Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, Washington metro areas share many biophysical characteristics, they have different land development histories and water governance structures, providing a unique opportunity for examining a coupled human and natural system (CHANS). We conceptualize feedback loops in which water quality influences governance directly, using monitoring efforts as a metric, and indirectly, using the metric of changes in the sale price of single-family residential properties. Governance then influences water quality directly through, for example, changes in the monitoring regime and riparian restoration and indirectly through land use policy. We investigate these hypotheses by presenting evidence of these linkages. Our results show that changes in monitoring regimes and land use differed in response to differences in governance systems. On the other hand, property sale prices increased in response to water quality improvement for both studied watersheds. Our results show that sales prices responded positively to improved water quality (i.e. DO) in both cities. Furthermore, riparian restoration efforts improved over time for both cities, indicating the positive effect of governance on this land-based resource that may result in improved water quality. However, as of yet, there were no substantial differences across study areas in changes in water temperature over time. While urban areas expanded more than 20% over 24 yr, water temperature did not change. The mechanisms by which water quality was maintained was similar in the sense that both cities benefited from riparian restoration, but different in the sense that Portland benefitted indirectly from land use policy. A combination of a long-term legacy effect of land development and a relatively short history of riparian restoration in both the Portland and Vancouver regions may have masked any subtle differences in both regions. An alternative explanation is that both cities exhibited combinations of positive indirect and direct water quality governance that resulted in maintenance of water quality in the face of increased urban growth. These findings suggest that a long-term water quality monitoring effort is needed to identify the effectiveness of alternative land development and water governance policies.
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Piedelobo, Laura, Andrea Taramelli, Emma Schiavon, et al. "Assessment of Green Infrastructure in Riparian Zones Using Copernicus Programme." Remote Sensing 11, no. 24 (2019): 2967. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/rs11242967.
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This article presents an approach to identify Green Infrastructure (GI), its benefits and condition. This information enables environmental agencies to prioritise conservation, management and restoration strategies accordingly. The study focuses on riparian areas due to their potential to supply Ecosystem Services (ES), such as water quality, biodiversity, soil protection and flood or drought risk reduction. Natural Water Retention Measures (NWRM) related to agriculture and forestry are the type of GI considered specifically within these riparian areas. The approach is based on ES condition indicators, defined by the European Environment Agency (EEA) to support the policy targets of the 2020 Biodiversity Strategy. Indicators that can be assessed through remote sensing techniques are used, namely: capacity to provide ecosystem services, proximity to protected areas, greening response and water stress. Specifically, the approach uses and evaluates the potential of freely available products from the Copernicus Land Monitoring Service (CLMS) to monitor GI. Moreover, vegetation and water indices are calculated using data from the Sentinel-2 MSI Level-2A scenes and integrated in the analysis. The approach has been tested in the Italian Po river basin in 2018. Firstly, agriculture and forest NWRM were identified in the riparian areas of the river network. Secondly, the Riparian Zones products from the CLMS local component and the satellite-based indices were linked to the aforementioned ES condition indicators. This led to the development of a pixel-based model that evaluates the identified GI according to: (i) its disposition to provide riparian regulative ES and (ii) its condition in the analysed year. Finally, the model was used to prioritise GI for conservation or restoration initiatives, based on its potential to deliver ES and current condition.
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PERESIN, DENISE, LEZILDA C. TORGAN, UWE H. SCHULZ, and LUCIANE O. CROSSETTI. "Structure of potamoplankton along a gradient of preservation of riparian vegetation in subtropical streams." Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências 86, no. 2 (2014): 841–53. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/0001-3765201420130318.
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Water quality in lotic and lentic systems is greatly influenced by the land use in the adjacent areas. This study was conducted in order to assess whether different degrees of preservation of riparian forest (from well preserved with 30m wide up to degraded with < 5 m wide) influence potamoplankton community structure. The study was conducted in three streams in the upper region of the Rio dos Sinos basin, at four sampling sites, with different width of the forest. Samplings were gathered for abiotic and biological analysis in winter (August 2010) and summer (January/February 2011). The analysis of environmental and biotic variables indicated that seasonality was the main determinant of biomass patterns, regardless of the width of riparian vegetation. The potamoplankton community of the studied streams responded to environmental conditions, although lack of significant difference among the different degrees of riparian vegetation preservation has been observed. Increasing trends on biomass, richness and diversity of species, and higher concentrations of total phosphorus and nitrogen in the non-preserved areas might indicate that the different gradients of preservation of riparian vegetation are related with the water quality in subtropical streams and consequently with the potamoplankton structure.
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Siegloch, A. E., R. Schmitt, M. Spies, M. Petrucio, and M. I. M. Hernández. "Effects of small changes in riparian forest complexity on aquatic insect bioindicators in Brazilian subtropical streams." Marine and Freshwater Research 68, no. 3 (2017): 519. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/mf15162.
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Riparian forests have positive effects on water quality and biodiversity. However, most studies have only tested the effects of distinct vegetation types or streams with and without forests, despite the fact that riparian forests differ in degrees of complexity. The aim of the present study was to test whether riparian forest complexity affected the composition and abundance of the Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera (EPT) taxa across a small environmental gradient. We also measured whether EPT genera or feeding groups responded to changes in riparian forest complexity. The study was conducted in two protection areas (i.e. Lagoa do Peri Municipal Park, PERI; and the Permanent Protection Area of Ratones, RAT) of Santa Catarina Island, Brazil. Primary production increased in streams with lower canopy percentage, and EPT assemblages differed among streams with different riparian forest complexity. In RAT, the water quality and forest variables affected EPT composition; however, in PERI, only water quality variables were important. Indicator species analysis based on genera suggested Kempnyia (Plecoptera) and Zelusia (Ephemeroptera) to be indicative of streams with greater forest complexity, whereas Farrodes (Ephemeroptera) was significant in streams of intermediate riparian forest complexity; however, no one functional group dominated. The results of the present study show that small changes in riparian forest complexity influence the composition of EPT insects in subtropical streams.
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Beißler and Hack. "A Combined Field and Remote-Sensing based Methodology to Assess the Ecosystem Service Potential of Urban Rivers in Developing Countries." Remote Sensing 11, no. 14 (2019): 1697. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/rs11141697.
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Natural rivers in urban areas bear significant potential to provide ecosystem services for the surrounding inhabitants. However, surface sealing by houses and street networks, urban drainage, disposal of waste and wastewater resulting from advancing urbanization usually lead to the deterioration of urban rivers and their riparian areas. This ultimately damages their ability to provide ecosystem services. This paper presents an innovative methodology for a rapid and low-cost assessment of the ecological status of urban rivers and riparian areas in developing countries under data scarce conditions. The methodology uses a combination of field data and freely available high-resolution satellite images to assess three ecological status categories: river hydromorphology, water quality, and riparian land cover. The focus here is on the assessment of proxies for biophysical structures and processes representing ecological functioning that enable urban rivers and riparian areas to provide ecosystem services. These proxies represent a combination of remote sensing land cover- and field-based indicators. Finally, the three ecological status categories are combined to quantify the potential of different river sections to provide regulating ecosystem services. The development and application of the methodology is demonstrated and visualized for each 100 m section of the Pochote River in the City of León, Nicaragua. This spatially distributed information of the ecosystem service potential of individual sections of the urban river and riparian areas can serve as important information for decision making regarding the protection, future use, and city development of these areas, as well as the targeted and tailor-made development of nature-based solutions such as green infrastructure.
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Da Silva, Taline Cristina, Marcelo Alves Ramos, Ivan André Alvarez, Lúcia Helena Piedade Kiill, and Ulysses Paulino De Albuquerque. "Representações dos proprietários e funcionários de fazendas sobre as mudanças e conservação da vegetação ciliar às margens do rio São Francisco, Nordeste do Brasil." SITIENTIBUS série Ciências Biológicas 11, no. 2 (2012): 279. http://dx.doi.org/10.13102/scb75.
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In Brazil, areas with high water potential for development ofirrigate agriculture was marked by the occupation of human groups. In this context, the vegetation along the São FranciscoRiver is constantly changing. This study sought to answer the following questions: “How do famers and farmworkersdescribe the possible changes in riparian forest over time?”; “Which events are responsible for these possible changes?”,and; “How do farmers describe aspects related to the use and conservation of riparian vegetation?” A total of 17 men andeight women, owners and farmworkers from areas close to the riparian vegetation, in five municipalities in the states ofBahia and Pernambuco, participated in this research. Semi-structured and semi-structured projective-type interviewswere used to investigate their representations of the conservation of riparian vegetation and changes in the local landscape,and to record historical events that influenced them. Aiming to record the local knowledge about the diversity of the mostimportant useful species, the free list technique was used. Only one informant said that the riparian vegetation has notchanged, six considered that the changes were for the worse and four considered that the changes were for the better. Fourowners responded that changes in the vegetation began 10 years ago, six indicated more than 30 years ago, two did notknow and one has not perceive any changes. Amongst the farmworkers, five said that vegetation had changed more than20 years ago, four indicated more than 10 years ago and four indicated that it had not changed. All informants agreed thatthe riparian vegetation should be preserved either because it protects the river (64%) or because it has other uses, such asattracting rain, providing shade, medicinal uses and increasing oxygen. Some of the informants (48%) considered the landowners responsible for the conservation of riparian vegetation, some (48%) that this was a duty of everybody and asmaller portion (4%) attributed responsibility to IBAMA. They also pointed out solutions to the conservation of thisvegetation: reforestation (39%), non-clearance (17%), environmental education (13%) and good care (13%). Futurerestoration projects that might take place in this area should take into account these representations, demands andexpectations.
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McCarty, James A., Marty D. Matlock, J. Thad Scott, and Brian E. Haggard. "Risk Indicators for Identifying Critical Source Areas in Five Arkansas Watersheds." Transactions of the ASABE 61, no. 3 (2018): 1025–32. http://dx.doi.org/10.13031/trans.12699.
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Abstract. Change point analysis was used to explore the interactions between watershed characteristics and concentrations of nitrate-nitrogen, total nitrogen, soluble reactive phosphorus, and total phosphorus in streams within the Ozark Highlands, Arkansas Valley, and Ouachita Mountains ecoregions of Arkansas. Thresholds were identified for multiple watershed metrics used to predict water quality, including percent forest in the catchment, agricultural and forested land use in the riparian buffer, stream density, and poultry house density. Based on the observed relationships from the sampled watersheds, we propose four risk indicators to improve the identification of critical source areas for NPS pollution mitigation: subwatersheds that have less than 50% forested area within the drainage area, less than 50% forested area in the riparian buffer zone, more than 0.9 poultry houses km-2, and a stream density that exceeds 50 m ha-1. Keywords: Nonpoint-source pollution, Source water protection, Watershed management.
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Fail, Joseph L., Bruce L. Haines, and Robert L. Todd. "Riparian forest communities and their role in nutrient conservation in an agricultural watershed." American Journal of Alternative Agriculture 2, no. 3 (1987): 114–21. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0889189300001752.
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AbstractRiparian forests situated adjacent to agricultural uplands were studied to test the hypothesis that riparian forests intercept and utilize nutrients lost from these uplands. Production rates, tissue nutrient concentrations, and nutrient accretion rates of woody plants were compared between sites that were contiguous to agricultural areas (test sites) and sites that were separated from agricultural areas by grass buffer zones (reference sites). Net primary production was 10,344 kg ha–1yr–1, but trees within a riparian forest that received runoff directly from a pigpen (test site) had production rates that were 2.5 times higher than the average for all other sites. Above ground forest nutrient accretion rates were also highest at the pigpen test site. Woody plants in test site forests had, on the average, higher branch wood and leaf nutrient concentrations than plants in reference site forests. The data provide evidence that riparian forest communities within agricultural environments absorb and retain nutrients lost from agricultural uplands. As such they are important components of agricultural ecosystems helping to maintain acceptable stream water quality. It is suggested that ecologically sound agricultural practice should include longterm maintenance of natural riparian vegetation zones within agricultural areas.
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Ligtermoet, Emma, Jane M. Chambers, Halina T. Kobryn, and Jenny Davis. "Determining the extent and condition of riparian zones in drinking water supply catchments in Sarawak, Malaysia." Water Supply 9, no. 5 (2009): 517–31. http://dx.doi.org/10.2166/ws.2009.580.
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Land cover within eight drinking water catchments in Sarawak was classified into six categories using satellite imagery and GIS. The categories represented varying levels of vegetation modification from largely undisturbed or mature secondary vegetation (Category 1) through to bare, non-vegetated areas (Category 6). Rivers less than ∼10 m in width were usually ‘invisible’ on satellite images because of dense canopy cover. More than 70% of headwaters in all catchments, except one (Buri Bakong), were not visible, indicating the presence of dense riparian vegetation. For the river sections that were visible on satellite images, 5%–22% of the riparian buffer was highly degraded (completely lacking vegetation). The highest degree of riparian modification occurred in the lowlands, the midland catchment of Tingkas and the highland catchment of Trusan. Although Sarawak government policy requires buffer widths of 5–50 m of natural vegetation to be retained along all streams and rivers in drinking water supply catchments these guidelines were not met at nine of the eleven field sites surveyed. These results suggest that compliance with buffer guidelines is important to water quality in rivers, particularly in logging areas, oil palm plantations and near settlements.
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Hassanzadeh, Vidon, Gold, Pradhanang, and Lowder. "RZ-TRADEOFF: A New Model to Estimate Riparian Water and Air Quality Functions." Water 11, no. 4 (2019): 769. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/w11040769.
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Riparian zones are often used as best management practices due to their ability to remove nitrate (NO3−) from subsurface flow. Research suggests that beyond local biogeochemical controls, the impact of riparian zones on nitrogen removal and other functions, such as phosphorus dynamics and greenhouse gas emissions, largely depends on land-use/land-cover, hydrogeomorphology, and weather. In this study, we therefore present RZ-TRADEOFF, a novel and easily applicable model that connects multiple riparian functions and characteristics (NO3− and phosphate (PO43−), concentration and removal in subsurface flow, total phosphorus (TP) removal in overland flow, nitrous oxide (N2O), methane (CH4), and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, water table) to landscape hydrogeomorphic characteristics, weather, and land-cover/land-use. RZ-TRADEOFF was developed with data from past studies and digital databases, and validated with data collected from the literature. Three functions (water table, PO43− and CO2) were observed to be significantly influenced by climate/weather, while the others were primarily influenced by hydrogeomorphology and land use. The percent bias and normalized root mean square error respectively were −3.35% and 0.28 for water table, 16.00% and 0.34 for NO3− concentration, −7.83% and 20.82 for NO3− removal, 6.64% and 0.35 for PO43− concentration, 2.55% and 0.17 for TP removal, 40.33% and 0.23 for N2O, 72.68% and 0.18 for CH4, and −34.98% and 0.91 for CO2. From a management standpoint, RZ-TRADEOFF significantly advances our ability to predict multiple water and air quality riparian functions using easily accessible data over large areas of the landscape due to its scalability.
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Rice, Clifford P., Krystyna Bialek, Cathleen J. Hapeman, and Gregory W. McCarty. "Role of Riparian Areas in Atmospheric Pesticide Deposition and Its Potential Effect on Water Quality." JAWRA Journal of the American Water Resources Association 52, no. 5 (2016): 1109–20. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1752-1688.12444.
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Puckett, L. J. "Hydrogeologic controls on the transport and fate of nitrate in ground water beneath riparian buffer zones: results from thirteen studies across the United States." Water Science and Technology 49, no. 3 (2004): 47–53. http://dx.doi.org/10.2166/wst.2004.0160.
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During the last two decades there has been growing interest in the capacity of riparian buffer zones to remove nitrate from ground waters moving through them. Riparian zone sediments often contain organic carbon, which favors formation of reducing conditions that can lead to removal of nitrate through denitrification. Over the past decade the National Water Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program has investigated the transport and fate of nitrate in ground and surface waters in study areas across the United States. In these studies riparian zone efficiency in removing nitrate varied widely as a result of variations in hydrogeologic factors. These factors include (1) denitrification in the up-gradient aquifer due to the presence of organic carbon or other electron donors, (2) long residence times (&gt;50 years) along ground-water flow paths allowing even slow reactions to completely remove nitrate, (3) dilution of nitrate enriched waters with older water having little nitrate, (4) bypassing of riparian zones due to extensive use of drains and ditches, and (5) movement of ground water along deep flow paths below reducing zones. By developing a better understanding of the hydrogeologic settings in which riparian buffer zones are likely to be inefficient we can develop improved nutrient management plans.
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Furuya, Danielle Elis Garcia, João Alex Floriano Aguiar, Nayara V. Estrabis, et al. "A Machine Learning Approach for Mapping Forest Vegetation in Riparian Zones in an Atlantic Biome Environment Using Sentinel-2 Imagery." Remote Sensing 12, no. 24 (2020): 4086. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/rs12244086.
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Riparian zones consist of important environmental regions, specifically to maintain the quality of water resources. Accurately mapping forest vegetation in riparian zones is an important issue, since it may provide information about numerous surface processes that occur in these areas. Recently, machine learning algorithms have gained attention as an innovative approach to extract information from remote sensing imagery, including to support the mapping task of vegetation areas. Nonetheless, studies related to machine learning application for forest vegetation mapping in the riparian zones exclusively is still limited. Therefore, this paper presents a framework for forest vegetation mapping in riparian zones based on machine learning models using orbital multispectral images. A total of 14 Sentinel-2 images registered throughout the year, covering a large riparian zone of a portion of a wide river in the Pontal do Paranapanema region, São Paulo state, Brazil, was adopted as the dataset. This area is mainly composed of the Atlantic Biome vegetation, and it is near to the last primary fragment of its biome, being an important region from the environmental planning point of view. We compared the performance of multiple machine learning algorithms like decision tree (DT), random forest (RF), support vector machine (SVM), and normal Bayes (NB). We evaluated different dates and locations with all models. Our results demonstrated that the DT learner has, overall, the highest accuracy in this task. The DT algorithm also showed high accuracy when applied on different dates and in the riparian zone of another river. We conclude that the proposed approach is appropriated to accurately map forest vegetation in riparian zones, including temporal context.
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Pearson, Richard G., Niall Connolly, Lee J. Benson, et al. "Invertebrate responses to land use in tropical streams: discrimination of impacts enhanced by analysis of discrete areas." Marine and Freshwater Research 70, no. 4 (2019): 563. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/mf18177.
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We identified influences of land-use disturbances on invertebrate assemblages in streams draining eight areas of the Great Barrier Reef catchment in tropical Australia (~15.7–22°S), a region of high biodiversity. We used distance-based linear modelling (DistLM) to analyse assemblage data (103 taxa), richness and the SIGNAL2 taxon sensitivity index. DistLM of assemblages explained ~40% of variation across all samples and 7–54% of variation in individual areas. DistLM of richness and SIGNAL2 explained respectively 19–81 and 26–95% of variation. Explanatory variables were land use (especially cropping and grazing v. forest), riparian width, instream habitat, climate (drier south) and water quality (conductivity greater in south). Local impacts of activities such as mining were evident in models of individual areas. A detailed comparison of streams with contrasting riparian management demonstrated a 25% loss of richness, but no change in SIGNAL2 score. Accounting for local environmental gradients and using measures appropriate to the type of disturbance improved identification of impacts, and could form a framework for future regional monitoring of stream ecological condition. The impacts identified may be mitigated by remediation such as riparian rehabilitation, although management at catchment scales is required to be effective.
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Song, Yu, Xiaodong Song, Guofan Shao, and Tangao Hu. "Effects of Land Use on Stream Water Quality in the Rapidly Urbanized Areas: A Multiscale Analysis." Water 12, no. 4 (2020): 1123. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/w12041123.
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The land use and land cover changes in rapidly urbanized regions is one of the main causes of water quality deterioration. However, due to the heterogeneity of urban land use patterns and spatial scale effects, a clear understanding of the relationships between land use and water quality remains elusive. The primary purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of land use on water quality across multi scales in a rapidly urbanized region in Hangzhou City, China. The results showed that the response characteristics of stream water quality to land use were spatial scale-dependent. The total nitrogen (TN) was more closely related with land use at the circular buffer scale, whilst stronger correlations could be found between land use and algae biomass at the riparian buffer scales. Under the circular buffer scale, the forest and urban greenspace were more influential to the TN at small buffer scales, whilst significant positive or negative correlations could be found between the TN and the areas of industrial land or the wetland and river as the buffer scales increased. The redundancy analysis (RDA) showed that more than 40% variations in water quality could be explained by the landscape metrics at all circular and riparian buffer scales, and this suggests that land use pattern was an important factor influencing water quality. The variation in water quality explained by landscape metrics increased with the increase of buffer size, and this implies that land use pattern could have a closer correlation with water quality at larger spatial scales.
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Łaszewski, Maksym, and Wojciech Kiryła. "The influence of riparian woodlands on the thermal conditions of small lowland streams during the summer." Forest Research Papers 79, no. 3 (2018): 237–43. http://dx.doi.org/10.2478/frp-2018-0023.
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Abstract Riparian woodlands significantly affect the water quality of streams and rivers. Thus, we examined whether the presence of woodlands in riparian buffer zones also impacts the thermal characteristics of lowland streams during the summer. Water temperature data were recorded with digital temperature loggers located in eight quasi-natural sites across the Garwolin Plain in central Poland. The mean, maximum, minimum, and mean daily range parameters were calculated for the whole study period from July to September 2017 with a 30 min. resolution. The percentage of woodlands in the catchment area and buffer zone along the streams was estimated based on satellite images from the Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 missions. The Random Forest method was used in the classification process with an accuracy of 96%. The similarity of measurement sites in terms of water temperature was determined using cluster analysis (Ward method), while a Spearman correlation coefficient was applied to compare thermal parameters with the percentage of woodland areas. The results indicate that water temperature patterns across the measurement sites varied, with mean temperatures ranging from 14.4°C in site T8 to 16.3°C in site T1. Furthermore, the correlation analysis confirmed our hypothesis that the presence of woodland areas does not significantly alter the thermal parameters of lowland streams. Moreover, the cluster analysis showed that sites with significantly different percentages of woodland areas were closely linked due to the similar distributions of water temperature values. However, it must be emphasised that the lack of riparian woodlands in buffer zones does not exclude the presence of shade associated with shrubs and grasses, as well as aquatic plants. In consequence, more advanced indicators of riparian shade, such as vegetation mapping using unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) or hemispherical photography, should be used for small lowland streams.
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Hammer, Chad F., and John S. Gunn. "Planting native trees to restore riparian forests increases biotic resistance to nonnative plant invasions." Invasive Plant Science and Management 14, no. 2 (2021): 126–33. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/inp.2021.11.
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AbstractNonnative invasive plant species are a major cause of ecosystem degradation and impairment of ecosystem service benefits in the United States. Forested riparian areas provide many ecosystem service benefits and are vital to maintaining water quality of streams and rivers. These systems are also vulnerable to natural disturbances and invasion by nonnative plants. We assessed whether planting native trees on disturbed riparian sites may increase biotic resistance to invasive plant establishment in central Vermont in the northeastern United States. The density (stems per square meter) of invasive stems was higher in non-planted sites (x̄ = 4.1 stems m−2) compared with planted sites (x̄ = 1.3 stems m−2). More than 90% of the invasive plants were Japanese knotweed [Fallopia japonica (Houtt.) Ronse Decr.; syn. Polygonum cuspidatum Siebold & Zucc.]. There were no significant differences in total stem density of native vegetation between planted and non-planted sites. Other measured response variables such as native tree regeneration, species diversity, soil properties, and soil function showed no significant differences or trends in the paired riparian study sites. The results of this case study indicate that tree planting in disturbed riparian forest areas may assist conservation efforts by minimizing the risk of invasive plant colonization.
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Cheng, B. Y., T. C. Liu, G. S. Shyu, T. K. Chang, and W. T. Fang. "Analysis of trends in water quality: constructed wetlands in metropolitan Taipei." Water Science and Technology 64, no. 11 (2011): 2143–50. http://dx.doi.org/10.2166/wst.2011.785.
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Meandering through the most densely populated metropolitan areas of Taipei, Taiwan, the Danshui River and its tributaries have undergone the construction of 14 wetlands since 2004, as a means to improve water quality. This study was conducted to examine the functional capabilities associated with treating non-point source pollution through these riparian wetlands. Trend analysis was used to differentiate dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand, suspended solids, ammonia, and Escherichia coli, among 13 sampling sites using both functions of a Mann–Kendall test and a seasonal Mann–Kendall test. The results show that water quality in Taipei metropolitan rivers has been improving since increasing the number of constructed wetlands and connecting households to the public sewage system. The concentration of pollutants such as those influencing biochemical oxygen demand have gradually declined in drought seasons because riparian wetlands contribute a base flow to dilute riverine pollutants. This paper indicates that the creation of treatment systems influences dissolved oxygen conditions at the municipal scale, suggesting that constructed wetlands could stabilize water quality during extreme hydrological events and improve water quality particularly in times of drought.
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Klamt, Rodrigo Augusto, Eduardo Alexis Lobo, Adilson Ben da Costa, and Dionei Minuzzi Delevati. "Evaluation of water resource preservation areas in the Hydrographical Basin of Andreas Stream, RS, Brazil, using environmental monitoring programs." Ambiente e Agua - An Interdisciplinary Journal of Applied Science 14, no. 2 (2019): 1. http://dx.doi.org/10.4136/ambi-agua.2307.
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This research evaluated the effectiveness of the implementation of water resource preservation areas in the Hydrographical Basin of Andreas Stream, county of Vera Cruz, RS, Brazil, established through Payment for Environmental Services (PES), using an environmental monitoring program to assess physical, chemical and microbiological variables. The PES is linked to the "Water Guardian" project, which aims to ensure the preservation of water resources by paying farmers for providing the environmental services to protect the springs and riparian areas that lie within their properties. Twenty sampling stations were selected for collecting water samples monthly during the period July 2012 to June 2014 (460 samples) to evaluate the following variables: water temperature, pH, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand, nitrate, ammonia nitrogen, phosphate, total dissolved solids and thermotolerant coliforms. The evaluation was made based on decree 357/2005 of the National Environmental Council (CONAMA) and by applying the Water Quality Index (WQI). The results indicated a significant improvement in the water quality when comparisons were made between the periods before and after the installation of the preservation areas. The sampling points classified as “good” (CONAMA and WQI), which indicates water of good quality that is appropriate for multiple uses, increased from 52.0% to 72.0%. In this sense, promoting the preservation of headwaters and riparian zones becomes of fundamental importance and highlights the role of PES as an operational tool for water resource preservation.
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Silva, Alexandre Marco da, Lilian Casatti, Clayton Alcarde Alvares, Aline Maria Leite, Luiz Antonio Martinelli, and Steven F. Durrant. "Soil loss risk and habitat quality in streams of a meso-scale river basin." Scientia Agricola 64, no. 4 (2007): 336–43. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/s0103-90162007000400004.
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Soil loss expectation and possible relationships among soil erosion, riparian vegetation and water quality were studied in the São José dos Dourados River basin, State of São Paulo, Brazil. Through Geographic Information System (GIS) resources and technology, Soil Loss Expectation (SLE) data obtained using the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) model were analyzed. For the whole catchment area and for the 30 m buffer strips of the streams of 22 randomly selected catchments, the predominant land use and habitat quality were studied. Owing mainly to the high soil erodibility, the river basin is highly susceptible to erosive processes. Habitat quality analyses revealed that the superficial water from the catchments is not chemically impacted but suffers physical damage. A high chemical purity is observed since there are no urban areas along the catchments. The water is physically poor because of high rates of sediment delivery and the almost nonexistence of riparian vegetation.
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Ledesma, J. L. J., T. Grabs, M. N. Futter, K. H. Bishop, H. Laudon, and S. J. Köhler. "Riparian zone controls on base cation concentrations in boreal streams." Biogeosciences Discussions 10, no. 1 (2013): 739–85. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/bgd-10-739-2013.
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Abstract. Forest riparian zones are a major in control of surface water quality. Base cation (BC) concentrations, fluxes, and cycling in the riparian zone merit attention because of increasing concern of negative consequences for re-acidification of surface waters from future climate and forest harvesting scenarios. We present a two-year study of BC and silica (Si) flow-weighted concentrations from 13 riparian zones and 14 streams in a boreal catchment in northern Sweden. The Riparian Flow-Concentration Integration Model (RIM) was used to estimate riparian zone flow-weighted concentrations and tested to predict the stream flow-weighted concentrations. Spatial variation in BC and Si concentrations as well as in flow-weighted concentrations was related to differences in Quaternary deposits, with the largest contribution from lower lying silty sediments and the lowest contribution from wetland areas higher up in the catchment. Temporal stability in the concentrations of most elements, a remarkably stable Mg / Ca ratio in the soil water and a homogeneous mineralogy suggest that the stable patterns found in the riparian zones are a result of distinct mineralogical upslope groundwater signals integrating the chemical signals of biological and chemical weathering. Stream water Mg / Ca ratio indicates that the signal is subsequently maintained in the streams. RIM gave good predictions of Ca, Mg, and Na flow-weighted concentrations in headwater streams. The difficulty in modelling K and Si suggests a stronger biogeochemical influence on these elements. The observed chemical dilution effect with flow in the streams was related to variation in groundwater levels and element concentration profiles in the riparian zones. This study provides a first step toward specific investigations of the vulnerability of riparian zones to changes induced by forest management or climate change, with focus on BC or other compounds.
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McKergow, Lucy A., Ian P. Prosser, Rodger B. Grayson, and Dale Heiner. "Performance of grass and rainforest riparian buffers in the wet tropics, Far North Queensland. 2. Water quality." Soil Research 42, no. 4 (2004): 485. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/sr02156.
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Riparian lands have the potential to buffer streams from hillslope sediment and nutrient transport. Most research on buffers has been conducted under laboratory or manipulated field experimental conditions. Few quantitative data exist on buffer performance under natural field conditions. This study reports measured soil loss and evaluates the effectiveness of riparian buffers on planar and convergent slopes under field hydrological conditions in Far North Queensland. The conditions are extreme for testing the effectiveness of riparian buffers as the land is steep, intensely cropped and receives high intensity rainfall. Hillslopes cropped with bananas were monitored using paired flumes. Runoff, bedload, and suspended loads were measured leaving the crop (upper sites) and leaving the riparian buffers (lower sites). Highly variable hillslope soil losses of <1 to >70 t/ha per wet season were recorded. High rates of hillslope soil loss were from areas of steep gradient with little ground cover experiencing high rainfall intensity. On planar slopes, even with high soil loss, grass buffer strips were able to trap >80% of the incoming bedload. Total N (TN), total P (TP) and suspended sediment (SS) loads were reduced between 25 and 65% by the planar slope grass buffer and within the first 15 m of the moderately convergent grass buffer. Loads leaving the moderately convergent buffer were often higher than those delivered from the crop, due to seepage after prolonged or high frequency rainfall. Under these conditions the buffer's main function is to prevent erosion rather than trap sediment and nutrients. Results from a highly convergent 5-ha hillslope, suggest that for buffers to be more effective in such topography, they should also be placed at the end of the crop rows, where contributing areas are smaller. Flow was able to concentrate within the crop and on at least one occasion was able to scour a 30-cm-wide channel through the entire width of the buffer releasing previously trapped material and making the buffer ineffective. A remnant rainforest buffer, receiving runoff from a planar slope, acted as a temporary store of sediment and nutrients that were reworked during subsequent events. This study demonstrates both a need for managed buffer strips on sloping tropical cropped land and identifies limitations on their potential effectiveness.
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Li, Shihua, Shuangyun Peng, Baoxuan Jin, Junsong Zhou, and YingXin Li. "Multi-scale relationship between land use/land cover types and water quality in different pollution source areas in Fuxian Lake Basin." PeerJ 7 (July 15, 2019): e7283. http://dx.doi.org/10.7717/peerj.7283.
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The spatial-temporal evolution of land use and land cover (LULC) and its multi-scale impact on the water environment is becoming highly significant in the LULC research field. The current research results show that the more significant scale impact on LULC and water quality in the whole basin and the riparian buffer scale is unclear. A consensus has not been reached about the optimal spatial scale problem in the relationship between the LULC and water quality. The typical lake basin of the Fuxian Lake watershed was used as the research area and the scale relationship between the LULC and water quality was taken as the research object. High resolution remote sensing images, archival resources of surveying, mapping and geographic information, and the monitoring data of water quality were utilized as the main data sources. Remote sensing and Geometric Information Technology were applied. A multi-scale object random forest algorithm (MSORF) was used to raise the classification accuracy of the high resolution remote sensing images from 2005 to 2017 in the basin and the multi-scale relationship between the two was discussed using the Pearson correlation analysis method. From 2005 to 2017, the water quality indicators (Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Total Phosphorous (TP), Total Nitrogen (TN)) of nine rivers in the lake’s basin and the Fuxian Lake center were used as response variables and the LULC type in the basin was interpreted as the explanation variable. The stepwise selection method was used to establish a relationship model for the water quality of the water entering the lake and the significance of the LULC type was established at p < 0.05.The results show that in the seven spatial scales, including the whole watershed, sub-basin, and the riparian buffer zone (100 m, 300 m, 500 m, 700 m, and 1,000 m): (1) whether it is in the whole basin or buffer zone of different pollution source areas, impervious surface area (ISA), or other land and is positively correlated with the water quality and promotes it; (2) forestry and grass cover is another important factor and is negatively correlated with water quality; (3) cropping land is not a major factor explaining the decline in water quality; (4) the 300 m buffer zone of the river is the strongest spatial scale for the LULC type to affect the Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD). Reasonable planning for the proportion of land types in the riparian zone and control over the development of urban land in the river basin is necessary for the improvement of the urban river water quality. Some studies have found that the relationship between LULC and water quality in the 100 m buffer zone is more significant than the whole basin scale. While our study is consistent with the results of research conducted by relevant scholars in Aibi Lake in Xinjiang, and Erhai and Fuxian Lakes in Yunnan. Thus, it may be inferred that for the plateau lake basin, the 300 m riparian buffer is the strongest spatial scale for the LULC type to affect COD.
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Lim, Chi Hong, Jeong Hoon Pi, A. Reum Kim, et al. "Diagnostic Evaluation and Preparation of the Reference Information for River Restoration in South Korea." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18, no. 4 (2021): 1724. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18041724.
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We assessed the naturalness of rivers based on the riparian vegetation index throughout the national territory of South Korea as a preparatory process for restoration to improve the ecological quality of rivers. The riparian vegetation index was obtained by incorporating the diversity of species and community, vegetation profile, and ratios of the number of species and areas occupied by exotic, obligate upland, and annual plants. The evaluation was conducted based on both the riparian vegetation index and each vegetation component. The result of the evaluation based on the riparian vegetation index showed that more than 70% of the river reaches were graded as less than “moderate” and exotic and obligate upland plants were more common than endemic aquatic plants. The reaches recorded as “very good” and “good” grades were usually restricted around the upstream of the north and central-eastern parts, whereas reaches of the other areas showed “poor” naturalness (less than “moderate”). The vegetation components selected for the evaluation showed a significant correlation with each other as well as the riparian vegetation index. The degree of contribution of each vegetation component showed that the vegetation profile played the most significant role, followed by species diversity, community diversity, and the ratio of area occupied by annual plants. The riparian vegetation index revealed a significant correlation with the indices based on other taxa such as benthic invertebrates, periphytic algae, and fish, habitat conditions in the waterway, and water quality based on biochemical oxygen demand (BOD). The diagnostic evaluation results imply that most reaches need ecological restoration. The reference information was prepared by incorporating the vegetation condition with the highest score in each reach in the diagnostic evaluation. The river reach was divided into five reaches of upper and lower valley streams, upstream, midstream, and downstream. Information on the reference vegetation for restoration was prepared with the stand profile including both horizontal and vertical arrangements of riparian vegetation and species composition classified by the reach divided into five types. The levels of restoration were determined based on the diagnostic evaluation results. The lower the naturalness grade, the higher the level of restorative treatment was recommended.
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Hall, Jonah, and A. K. M. Azad Hossain. "Mapping Urbanization and Evaluating Its Possible Impacts on Stream Water Quality in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Using GIS and Remote Sensing." Sustainability 12, no. 5 (2020): 1980. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su12051980.
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Impervious surfaces (IS) produced by urbanization can facilitate pollutants’ movement to nearby water bodies through stormwater. This study mapped and estimated the IS changes in Chattanooga, Tennessee, using satellite imagery acquired in 1986 and 2016. A model was developed utilizing the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index coupled with density slicing to detect and map urbanization through IS growth. Urban growth was quantified at USGS HUC12 watershed level including stream riparian areas. The obtained results show a net growth of 45.12 km2 of IS with a heterogeneous distribution. About 9.96 km2 of this growth is within 90 m of streams, about 6% of the study site’s land cover. The Lower South Chickamauga Creek watershed experienced the largest urban growth with a change from 24.2 to 48.5 km2. Using the riparian zone percent imperviousness, a stream risk assessment model was developed to evaluate potential stream impairment due to this growth. Approximately 87, 131, and 203 km lengths of streams identified as potentially at high, very high, and extreme risks, respectively, to be impaired due to urban growth from the last 30 years. These findings would benefit to proactively implement sustainable management plans for the streams near rapidly urbanizing areas in the study site.
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Adas, Mariana Amélia Arantes, Elisa Hardt, Simone Georges el Khouri Miraglia, and Décio Semensatto. "Reforest or perish: ecosystem services provided by riparian vegetation to improve water quality in an urban reservoir (São Paulo, Brazil)." Sustentabilidade em Debate 11, no. 1 (2020): 226–43. http://dx.doi.org/10.18472/sustdeb.v11n1.2020.28152.
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We estimated the economic value of ecosystem services provided by the legally protected vegetation in riparian zones (RPA- riparian protected areas) of watercourses of the Guarapiranga Reservoir watershed (São Paulo, Brazil), considering two scenarios: (i) the value of ecosystem services provided if the RPA recovery complies with the applicable environmental legislation; and (ii) the year 2030, maintaining the urbanization rate and the loss of vegetation cover in the watershed observed between 1986 and 2010. Accomplishing the first scenario demands reforesting 5,917.5 ha of the RPA, which may reduce the annual expenses with chemicals for water treatment and save USD 181.774 per 1000 m3 of treated water. For 2030, we estimated a loss of 6,220 ha of vegetation cover in the RPA (1986 as the initial reference). The loss of ecosystem services provided by RPA would result in an accumulated increase of about USD 318 million in water treatment costs between 2011 and 2030.
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ALVES, Helena Maria Andrade, Cristina Yassuko YAMANAKA, Miguel Angel Lobo AZCONA, Valter Alexandre BRASIL, Rui Jesus Lorenzo GARCIA, and Djavã de Santana MARTINS. "EVALUATION OF THE QUALITY OF MANANTIAL WATER SUPPLYING THE CITY OF SALVADOR (BA)." Periódico Tchê Química 14, no. 28 (2017): 23–29. http://dx.doi.org/10.52571/ptq.v14.n28.2017.23_periodico28_pgs_23_29.pdf.
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Since 2011, the Centro de Pesquisas e Desenvolvimento - CEPED performs sampling and analysis activities of the waters of the springs that supply the city of Salvador to assess the Water Quality Index (WQI). The WQI is an important indicator of the relationship between use and land cover and water quality in a watershed. The purpose of this paper is to present a study of water quality of rivers Paraguaçu, Joanes, Jacuípe, Ipitanga, which are responsible for the water supply for the population of metropolitan region of Salvador with more than three million inhabitants and highest population density Northeast North. Through this study we can conclude that there is a decrease in water quality in nearby points of urbanized areas due to lack of sanitation, as well as in areas where there is impairment of riparian vegetation cover.
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Bando, Arman Hi, Ratna Siahaan, and Marnix D. Langoy. "KEANEKARAGAMAN VEGETASI RIPARIAN DI SUNGAI TEWALEN, MINAHASA SELATAN-SULAWESI UTARA." JURNAL ILMIAH SAINS 16, no. 1 (2016): 7. http://dx.doi.org/10.35799/jis.16.1.2016.12197.
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KEANEKARAGAMAN VEGETASI RIPARIAN DI SUNGAI TEWALEN, MINAHASA SELATAN - SULAWESI UTARAABSTRAK Vegatasi riparian merupakan sumberdaya alam yang mudah terganggu akibat aktivitas manusia misalnya konversi riaria menjadi lahan permukiman, pertanian dan industri. Vegetasi riparian dapat berfungsi mempertahankan kualitas air. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis keanekaragaman vegetasi riparian di Sungai Tewalen, Minahasa Selatan - Sulawesi Utara. Metode purposive digunakan untuk menentukan lokasi dan pengelompokan berdasarkan kriteria pertumbuhan untuk memperoleh data kekayaan jenis dan kelimpahan. Sebanyak 3 stasiun penelitian ditentukan yaitu hulu, tengah dan hilir. Tiga ulangan dilakukan di tiap stasiun. Data dianalisis secara deskriptif berdasarkan Indeks keanekaragaman jenis Shannon - Wienner (H’), Indeks Kemerataan dan Indeks Kesamaan Jenis Sorensen. Kekayaan jenis egetasi riparian sebanyak lima puluh enam (56) jenis yeng termasuk dalam tiga puluh (30) suku. Tiga (3) suku terbesar yaitu Poaceae (22%), Cyatheaceae (13%) dan Araceae (11%). Keanekaragaman vegetasi riparian pada tingkat rumput hingga pohon di lokasi penelitian termasuk sedang (H’ 1≤ H ≤ 3). Vegetasi riparian di Sungai Tewalen secara umum memiliki tingkat kemerataan yang tinggi yaitu mendekati 1 yang menunjukkan jumlah individu masing-masing jenis sama atau tidak jauh berbeda. Kesamaan jenis antar stasiun penelitian rendah yang menunjukkan adanya perbedaaan komunitas vegetasi riparian antar stasiun. Kata kunci: Vegetasi riparian, Sungai Tewalen, Minahasa Selatan, Sulawesi Utara RIPARIAN VEGETATION DIVERSITY OF TEWALEN RIVER,SOUTH MINAHASA REGENCY- NORTH SULAWESI ABSTRACT Riparian vegetation is natural resource easily disturbed by human activities such as conversion of riparia to be settlement, agriculture and industry areas. Riparian vegetation serves to maintain water quality. This study aimed to analyze the diversity of riparian vegetation of Tewalen River, South Minahasa - North Sulawesi. Purposive sampling method was used to determine the locations and grouping based on growth criteria to obtain data on species richness and abundance. Three (3) research locations were determined that were up, mid and downstream parts. Three replications were applied at each location. Data were analyzed descriptively based on species diversity index Shannon - Wienner (H '), Evenness Index and Sorensen Similarity Index. Species richness of riparian vegetation were fifty-six (56) species were grouped into thirty (30) families. The biggest families were Poaceae (22%), Cyatheaceae (13%) and Araceae (11%). Riparian vegetation diversity from grass to trees were moderate (H '1≤ H ≤ 3). Generally, riparian vegetation of Tewalen River had high evenness (close to 1) that showed the number of individuals of each species were same or not different. The low index of species similarity between stations showed the differences riparian vegetation communities between stations. Keywords: Riparian vegetation, Tewalen River, South Minahasa, North Sulawesi.
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Laslier, Marianne, Laurence Hubert-Moy, and Simon Dufour. "Mapping Riparian Vegetation Functions Using 3D Bispectral LiDAR Data." Water 11, no. 3 (2019): 483. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/w11030483.
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Riparian zones experience many anthropic pressures and are the subject of European legislation to encourage their monitoring and management, to attenuate these pressures. Assessing the effectiveness of management practices requires producing indicators of ecological functions. Laser Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data can provide valuable information to assess the ecological status of riparian zones. The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential of LiDAR point clouds to produce indicators of riparian zone status. We used 3D bispectral LiDAR data to produce several indicators of a riparian zone of a dammed river in Normandy (France). The indicators were produced either directly from the 3D point clouds (e.g., biomass overhanging the channel, variation in canopy height) or indirectly, by applying the Random Forest classification algorithm to the point clouds. Results highlight the potential of 3D LiDAR point clouds to produce indicators with sufficient accuracy (ca. 80% for the number of trunks and 68% for species composition). Our results also reveal advantages of using metrics related to the internal structure of trees, such as penetration indexes. However, intensity metrics calculated using bispectral properties of LiDAR did not improve the quality of classifications. Longitudinal analysis of the indicators revealed a difference in attributes between the reservoir and areas downstream from it.