Riparian Forests

l The term riparian refers to the biotic com-munities and the environment on the shores of streams, rivers, ponds, lakes, and some wetlands. In this chapter, the phrase riparian forest refers to vegetation directly adjacent to rivers and streams. The riparian forest extends laterally from the active channel to the uplands, thereby including active floodplains and the immediately adjacent terraces. l Riparian forests of the Pacific coastal ecoregion are floristically and structurally the most diverse vegetation of the region. As complex ecological systems localized at the land-water ecotone, riparian forests maintain generally high levels of beta and gamm