New Perspectives in Science Education

Riparian vegetation represents, an essential component, both for the aquatic ecosystem and for the riparian areas, due to the specific functions: a permanent source of organic matter, influences the temperature and the quality of the water, contributes to stabilization of the riverbed and the shores, anti-erosion role, provides shelter for a large number of organisms, including most bird species in the river, is a corridor that provides the river with other ecosystems as well as natural ecosystems between them (Hawes and Smith, 2005; Green, 2005; Naura et al., 2011; SNPACB, 2014; Dountchev et al., 2017). Compared to the small occupied surface, riparian vegetation harbors disproportionately many organisms, compared to neighboring lands (Bennett et al., 2014; Padmalal and Maya, 2014). The present study aimed to analyze the current situation of the riparian vegetation belt along the banks of Someșului (NV of Romania), under the conditions of high anthropic pressure, in order to evaluate the degree of anthropic affectation of the riparian vegetation and the extent to which the current structure allows to perform the functions from an ecological perspective. In order to obtain the data from the field, during the period 2015 -2017, 63 transects were crossed on the banks of the Somes river, on foot, by car and by boat, depending on the access possibilities and the characteristics of the studied sector, along the entire length of the river taken into study. The riparian vegetation of Someș, is an essential element for the conservation of the river ecosystem. Despite the anthropic pressures, which have significantly changed the ecosystems, the banks of the river have a structure with natural characters on significant portions. The riparian vegetation, even though it is currently strongly affected by anthropogenic factors, has sufficient resources to restore and ensure the specific functions, provided that the legislation of a protective nature is in force.

Keywords: Riparian vegetation, ecological function, biodiversity conservation.

References:
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