Lecture IV —Riparian Zones and Catchments as Functional Landscapes

Описание: In this final lecture of the series Rivers Under Pressure, we move beyond the stream channel to explore rivers as landscape-integrated ecosystems shaped by their riparian zones, floodplains, and catchments.

Building on the theoretical foundations of riparian ecology, the lecture introduces a modern, process-based understanding of riparian zones as dynamic land–water interfaces whose ecological functions depend on hydrological connectivity across space and time. Using insights from long-term syntheses of riparian research, we examine why vegetation alone does not guarantee ecosystem function, and why connectivity, residence time, and catchment context are central to river health.

The lecture then focuses on three empirical case studies that illustrate a connectivity gradient:

Buried urban headwater streams, showing how ecosystem function shifts under extreme disconnection

Large river floodplains, demonstrating how lateral connectivity drives biodiversity and resilience

Tropical rivers receiving wastewater inputs, revealing how seasonal riparian connectivity can activate nutrient retention

Together, these examples highlight a unifying message: rivers do not end at their banks. Effective river management and restoration require moving beyond reach-scale interventions toward integrative, catchment-scale approaches that reconnect land and water.