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The Role of Riparian Corridors in Maintaining Regional Biodiversity
Author(s) -
Naiman Robert J.,
Decamps Henri,
Pollock Michael
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
ecological applications
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.864
H-Index - 213
eISSN - 1939-5582
pISSN - 1051-0761
DOI - 10.2307/1941822
Subject(s) - riparian zone , biodiversity , ecology , biogeochemical cycle , geography , disturbance (geology) , flood myth , fluvial , environmental resource management , environmental science , landscape ecology , land use , habitat , biology , paleontology , archaeology , structural basin
Riparian corridors possess an unusually diverse array of species and environmental processes. This "ecological" diversity is related to variable flood regimes, geomorphic channel processes, altitudinal climate shifts, and upland influences on the fluvial corridor. This dynamic environment results in a variety of life history strategies, and a diversity of biogeochemical cycles and rates, as organisms adapt to disturbance regimes over broad spatio—temporal scales. These facts suggest that effective riparian management could ameliorate many ecological issues related to land use and environmental quality. We contend that riparian corridors should play an essential role in water and landscape planning, in the restoration of aquatic systems, and in catalyzing institutional and societal cooperation for these efforts.