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Chapter 1: Defining Arizona’s Riparian Areas and their Importance to the Landscape
Defining Riparian Areas, page 2
Riparian areas processes vary depending on where you are in the United States. There is significant variability in water availability and the pathways water follows to reach riparian areas in different regions.
Figure 1.21.Difference in the pathways water follows to reach the stream in mesic (humid) and arid (dry) regions. These differences can significantly influence riparian areas. In the eastern United States, that are mesic regions, precipitation water primarily infiltrates into the soils before it reaches the stream. In contrast in the western United States, that are arid regions, precipitation water moves across the soil surface as overland flow before it reaches the streams.
- Riparian areas have high temporal variation. They are very dynamic and disturbance-driven. This leads to rapid changes in riparian vegetation composition and condition, depending on the weather conditions of a particular year.
A variety of scientific disciplines such as plant ecology, hydrology, fisheries and wildliOctober 2, 2006ence, biology, entomology and even engineering are interested in riparian areas. The end result is many contradicting and confusing definitions because each discipline focuses on their interest in the riparian area. Typically no single definition satisfies more than two-three disciplines. - These definitions also may serve various purposes. Some definitions are very simplistic, others are very scientific, while others are regulatory.
- The term riparian area is relatively young. It has been used during the last 30-35 years. The scientific community has not yet determined a universally accepted definition.
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