Topic
Riparian buffer
About: Riparian buffer is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 996 publications have been published within this topic receiving 32899 citations.
Papers published on a yearly basis
Papers
TL;DR: The critical loading for good ecological state in lakes has to be lowered in a future warmer climate, which calls for adaptation measures, which in the northern temperate zone should include improved P cycling in agriculture, reduced loading from point sources, and (re)-establishment of wetlands and riparian buffer zones.
Abstract: Climate change may have profound effects on phosphorus (P) transport in streams and on lake eutrophication. Phosphorus loading from land to streams is expected to increase in northern temperate coastal regions due to higher winter rainfall and to a decline in warm temperate and arid climates. Model results suggest a 3.3 to 16.5% increase within the next 100 yr in the P loading of Danish streams depending on soil type and region. In lakes, higher eutrophication can be expected, reinforced by temperature-mediated higher P release from the sediment. Furthermore, a shift in fish community structure toward small and abundant plankti-benthivorous fish enhances predator control of zooplankton, resulting in higher phytoplankton biomass. Data from Danish lakes indicate increased chlorophyll a and phytoplankton biomass, higher dominance of dinophytes and cyanobacteria (most notably of nitrogen fixing forms), but lower abundance of diatoms and chrysophytes, reduced size of copepods and cladocerans, and a tendency to reduced zooplankton biomass and zooplankton:phytoplankton biomass ratio when lakes warm. Higher P concentrations are also seen in warm arid lakes despite reduced external loading due to increased evapotranspiration and reduced inflow. Therefore, the critical loading for good ecological state in lakes has to be lowered in a future warmer climate. This calls for adaptation measures, which in the northern temperate zone should include improved P cycling in agriculture, reduced loading from point sources, and (re)-establishment of wetlands and riparian buffer zones. In the arid Southern Europe, restrictions on human use of water are also needed, not least on irrigation.
651 citations
TL;DR: A meta-analysis of scientific literature containing data on riparian buffers and nitrogen concentration in streams and groundwater suggests that buffer width is an important consideration in managing nitrogen in watersheds, but the inconsistent effects of buffer width and vegetation on nitrogen removal suggest that soil type, subsurface hydrology, and subsurfaced biogeochemistry also are important factors governing nitrogen removal in buffers.
Abstract: Riparian buffers, the vegetated region adjacent to streams and wetlands, are thought to be effective at intercepting and reducing nitrogen loads entering water bodies. Riparian buffer width is thought to be positively related to nitrogen removal effectiveness by influencing nitrogen retention or removal. We surveyed the scientific literature containing data on riparian buffers and nitrogen concentration in streams and groundwater to identify trends between nitrogen removal effectiveness and buffer width, hydrological flow path, and vegetative cover. Nitrogen removal effectiveness varied widely. Wide buffers (>50 m) more consistently removed significant portions of nitrogen entering a riparian zone than narrow buffers (0-25 m). Buffers of various vegetation types were equally effective at removing nitrogen but buffers composed of herbaceous and forest/herbaceous vegetation were more effective when wider. Subsurface removal of nitrogen was efficient, but did not appear to be related to buffer width, while surface removal of nitrogen was partly related to buffer width. The mass of nitrate nitrogen removed per unit length of buffer did not differ by buffer width, flow path, or buffer vegetation type. Our meta-analysis suggests that buffer width is an important consideration in managing nitrogen in watersheds. However, the inconsistent effects of buffer width and vegetation on nitrogen removal suggest that soil type, subsurface hydrology (e.g., soil saturation, groundwater flow paths), and subsurface biogeochemistry (organic carbon supply, nitrate inputs) also are important factors governing nitrogen removal in buffers.
617 citations
TL;DR: The results of the survey revealed that the highest pesticide removal was achieved for pesticides of the organochlorine, strobilurin/strobin, organosphosphate and pyrethroid groups while the lowest removals were observed for pesticide of the triazinone, aryloxyalkanoic acid and urea groups.
441 citations
TL;DR: No significant change in species richness was detected as a result of the harvesting, except in the 1-ha connected fragments, where the number of species increased two years after isolation, suggesting that the adjacent buffer strips were being used as movement corridors.
Abstract: We studied the effect of habitat fragmentation on the richness, diversity, turnover, and abundance of breeding bird communities in old, boreal mixed-wood forest by creating isolated and connected forest fragments of 1, 10, 40, and 100 ha. Connected fragments were linked by 100 m wide riparian buffer strips. Each size class within treatments and controls was replicated three times. We sampled the passerine community using point counts before, and in each of two years after, forest harvesting, accumulating 21340 records representing 59 species. We detected no significant change in species richness as a result of the harvesting, except in the 1-ha connected fragments, where the number of species increased two years after isolation. This increase was accounted for by transient species, suggesting that the adjacent buffer strips were being used as movement corridors. Diversity (log series alpha index) was dependent on area in the isolated fragments only after cutting, having decreased in the smaller areas. Tur...
425 citations
TL;DR: Reviewing the provincial, territorial, and state guidelines for the retention of treed riparian buffers after timber harvest in Canada and the United States found buffer widths were adequate to protect the aquatic biota and habitats but were, generally, less than recommended widths for terrestrial communities.
404 citations
Related Topics (5)
Performance Metrics
| Year | Papers |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 9 |
| 2024 | 18 |
| 2023 | 33 |
| 2022 | 50 |
| 2021 | 51 |
| 2020 | 44 |