Riparian Ecosystem Services (RES). A Conceptual Framework to Lujan River Basin

Riparian Ecosystems are green infrastructures with the capability to mitigate the effects of climate changes, such as floods, droughts, or sea-level rise. For example, soil and vegetation can be used to improve infiltration, evapotranspiration, recycling of the first rainwater, and to reduce atmospheric pollution but this ecosystem services have been not taking into account. In Argentina, 90 % of wastes produced in industrial activities go, without treatments, directly to water bodies but also, non-point contamination produced by cattle farming and agricultural practices affects the water bodies. So, we purpose develop some criteria and tools in the Lujan River Basin, situated near from Buenos Aires, to evaluate the degree of conservation of riparian ecosystems, the reduction of these services and analyzed the existing regulation about this particular type of ecosystem. We take into account about Riparian Ecosystems a) area b) types c) magnitude and d) degree of ecosystems services reduction. The principal services considered are: autodepuration; water retention; biodiversity maintenance; oxygen input, carbon dioxide fixation, landscape beauty, biological corridor, habitat, nesting and reproduction, nitrogen fixation. The results indicates that is necessary to contribute to sustainable development of the basin, preserve natural o semi-natural riparian areas to reduce diffuse contamination and to maintain the diversity of species in Lujan River Basin but there are scarce existing regulations to avoid the destruction or degradation of this area