Riparian Forests as Nutrient Filters in Agricultural Watersheds

Abstract

Riparian (streamside) vegetation may help control transport of sediments and chemicals to stream channels. Studies of a coastal plain agricultural watershed showed that riparian forest ecosystems are excellent nutrient sinks and buffer the nutrient discharge from surrounding agroecosystems. Nutrient uptake and removal by soil and vegetation in the riparian forest ecosystem prevented outputs from agricultural uplands from reaching the stream channel. The riparian ecosystem can apparently serve as both a short- and long-term nutrient filter and sink if trees are harvested periodically to ensure a net uptake of nutrients.