THE ROLE OF RIPARIAN CORRIDORS IN MAINTAINING REGIONAL BIODIVERSITY

Riparian corridors possess an unusually diverse array of species and e nvironmental processes. This ''ecological'' diversity is related to va riable flood regimes, geomorphic channel processes, altitudinal climat e shifts, and upland influences on the fluvial corridor. This dynamic environment results in a variety of life history strategies, and a div ersity of biogeochemical cycles and rates, as organisms adapt to distu rbance regimes over broad spatio-temporal scales. These facts suggest that effective riparian management could ameliorate many ecological is sues related to land use and environmental quality. We contend that ri parian corridors should play an essential role in water and landscape planning, in the restoration of aquatic systems. and in catalyzing ins titutional and societal cooperation for these efforts.