Riparian Ecosystem

Riparian vegetation performs important
ecosystem functions, since it maintains regional
biodiversity and provides a range of environmental
services. However, anthropogenic activity, land use
type, and edge effects are factors that modify the
riparian species assemblage and properties. The
present study analyzes the influence of adjacent land
use on the structure and diversity of riparian vegetation
in four hydrographic regions that form the
watershed of the river Duero, in the state of Michoaca
´n, Mexico. Using a survey of woody plants of dbh
C 2.5 cm in ten different 0.1 ha sites, we found that
the average number of stems and individuals was
lower under agricultural (AGR) and urban (URB) land
use, compared to forested areas (FOR). The proportion
of multistemmed plants differs among land uses: this
value was greater in AGR than in the FOR and URB
categories. This proportion also differed among the
four hydrographic regions. The land use type FOR
presented the highest alpha and beta diversity, with a
high number of native species occurring only in areas defined by this land use. The results indicate that the
category FOR plays an important role in the conservation
of regional flora and is a possible source of
germplasm for restoration programs in sites degraded
by human disturbance. This study shows how anthropogenic
activities affect riparian vegetation and highlights
the importance of further study of this
ecosystem to apply sustainable management strategies
that are compatible with its conservation.

Provincializing Bollywood argues that Bhojpuri cinema exemplifies the overflow of a provincial derivative form that defies its place in the given scheme of things. Situating it at the intersection of vernacular media production and the infrastructural-political reordering of provincial north India, the book shows that Bhojpuri media's characteristic 'disobedience' is marked by a libidinal excess - simultaneously scandalizing and moralizing - to address the inexact calculi of Bhojpuri speaking region's'underdevelopment'. Bhojpuri media therefore demands that it is assessed not merely for its internal content but within the comparative media crucible, marked by interpenetrating forms and histories as diverse as those of ecological distress, musical traditions, gendered segregation, real estate, urban resettlements, and highway modernities. Foregrounding the libidinal excess, language politics, and curatorial informalities, Provincializing Bollywood synthesizes Bhojpuri media's spectacular public insubordination and its invocation of a shared debt, which is by no means regional in its provenance.

This is a text book dedicated to the Restoration of Rivers and Riparian Systems. It includes 14 chapters  groupesd into four parts:
1) Fluvial Systems: analysis and main components (Hydromorphology, Ecology and Floodplains)
2) Basic principles on River Restoration
3) Measures and Technics for the restoration of rivers and its floodplains
4) River Restoration Projects: Contents and Planning

La presente investigación tuvo como objetivo determinar el estado de restauración y calidad de dos áreas con bosque de ribera en el río Acomé y Pantaleón. En dichas áreas se consideró una unidad de análisis de 2.5 kilómetros de longitud tomando en cuenta ambas riberas del río. Asimismo, se consideró el bosque de ribera del río Popoguá como el ecosistema de referencia. Para ello, se utilizó la metodología de índice de calidad de bosques de ribera, el muestreo hábitat de arroyo y muestreo de diversidad arbórea. Con esto se determinó que la calidad del bosque de ribera del río Acomé y Pantaleón es “buena” y Popoguá calidad “muy buena”. La calidad de hábitat de Acomé y Popoguá es “excelente” y en Pantaleón “buena”. Se hallaron 35, 26 y 37 especies de árboles en el Acomé, Pantaleón y Popoguá, respectivamente. Asimismo, se determinó que las tres áreas con bosque de ribera tienen una diversidad, dominancia y equidad alta y están dominadas por Triplaris melaenodendron (Bertol.) Standl. & Steyerm., Hevea brasiliensis (Willd. ex A.Juss.) Müll.Arg. y Quararibea funebris (La Llave) Vische; en la ribera del río Acomé, Pantaleón y Popoguá, respectivamente. Finalmente se determinó que el bosque de ribera del río Acomé se encuentra rehabilitado, tanto en funcionamiento como en estructura del bosque; mientras en Pantaleón se ha recuperado el funcionamiento y estructura del bosque de ribera, respecto al bosque de referencia de Popoguá. Por ello se recomienda conservar y proteger los bosques de ribera para mantener la calidad del bosque y facilitar su restauración.

NATIONAL LAND COMMISSION RESEARCH 2018
Riparian lands are found along the edges of water bodies and are under the influence of both terrestrial and aquatic processes. They are thus considered to be transitional habitats, representing a transition from wet (open water) to dry (uplands). Healthy riparian lands are critically important landscape components, providing environmental, economic, cultural and recreational benefits. Riparian lands and their functions in Kenya have been destroyed and degraded largely by human activities over time. As the human society (population and economy) expands and land uses change, riparian lands continue to be lost and degraded. Although, it is difficult to quantify the extent of this loss, improved management of riparian lands and concerted efforts to conserve these lands must be a priority as highlighted by the costs and damages associated with recent flood events in the country (Standard Digital, May 17 2018).
Given the importance of riparian lands to the overall ecological health of watersheds, and in an effort to better understand the current state of riparian lands in Kenya, the National Land Commission engaged a consultant, Renaissance Planning Ltd, to undertake research on existing information on the “current state” of riparian lands in Kenya, including information on riparian extents, health and approaches to management of riparian lands and come up with a Riparian Lands Conservation and Management Policy Framework.

This practice-led research project explores processes of cultural response to the communication of complex environmental issues through two main forms of process-based art production: one in the private studio in the form of drawings and the other in the public sphere through varied approaches. It examines some of the prevailing human activities and cultural mythologies that led us to the current ecological crisis and highlights some of the critical challenges environmental communicators face in communicating the findings of climate science to diverse audiences. I have sought to emphasise the significance of affective communication methods in conveying complex and often-contentious environmental issues, and the role art may contribute to this
exchange.

The aim of this research is to underscore some of the opportunities for artists to engage as interlocutors and mediators within the network of environmental communication. Accordingly, the research examines some of the historical precedents of environmental art and how contemporary artists approach both local and global environmental issues.

The research offers new knowledge in two ways. First, in the processes of response and communication in the production of public artworks, which explore local issues such as water protection and security, to large-scale drawings that address broader ecological issues influencing global climate change. And, secondly in the exegesis, where the findings of process-based art production and contextual research contribute to the field of environmental art discourse. It also offers methods of approach for artists and science communicators to work together in addressing some of the greatest environmental challenges of the Anthropocene.

Zona riparian merupakan zona yang menghubungkan ekosistem daratan dan ekosistem perairan yang mana dipengaruhi oleh pergerakan material dan air. Riparian mempunyai komponen khusus dalam daratan. Zona yang berada pada tepian sungai atau badan air ini mempunyai kekhususan kharakteristik yang mampu menghubungkan kedua ekosistem tersebut. Vegetasi riparian atau tumbuhan di tepi sungai/danau memiliki banyak peran bagi manusia, hewan dan ekosistem. Definisi lengkapnya adalah sebagai berikut. Vegetasi riparian adalah tumbuhan yang tumbuh di kanan kiri sungai/danau yang menyediakan habitat bagi kehidupan liar dan berperan memelihara kesehatan daerah tangkapan air.

In the late Middle Ages, the Chiana river valley, a fertile land connected to Rome in the Etruscan and Roman era, became unhealthy due to stagnant water. In order to provide an accurate account of the situation, the following pages focus on a limited part of the river during the twelfth and thirteenth centuries with some consideration of sub sequent centuries in order to evaluate how the environment affected towns and also small centres at the beginning of the Modern Age.
http://hdl.handle.net/10498/19311

La presencia o ausencia de agua es un factor fundamental
para comprender las relaciones entre una
sociedad y el medio que la rodea. En aquellos espacios
donde la interacción entre el agua y sociedad es
especialmente significativa y perceptible hablamos de
paisajes del agua. Este trabajo presenta cuatro ejemplos
de paisajes del agua medievales localizados en
la provincia de Cádiz, en ellos la relación entre sociedad
y agua puede observarse también a través de las
construcciones defensivas que organizaron los modos
de ocupación y distribución espaciales: los castillos de
Tempul y Gigonza se relacionan con importantes manantiales
y arroyos, los de Iro y Barbate controlaban el
cauce de ríos que fueron vías de comunicación y transporte
de mercancías. De este estudio, en el que se han
empleado diferentes fuentes secundarias, se deduce
que el concepto de paisaje del agua ha estado presente
también en las sociedades pasadas.

Anuran belongs to the group of amphibians that are sensitive to the alterations of their environment and they could be used as bio-indicator organisms to follow changes in their habitats. The diversity of anurans was studied in the three sites located along the river of Mananum, Bag-o, Misamis Oriental, Philippines. Visual encounter survey was used to capture the target species. Diversity indices such as species richness, relative abundance, Shannon-Weiner function, evenness, similarity index were analyzed. Environmental variables were measured to know the species-habitat relationships using Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA). Results of the study revealed that the area is composed of 6 species of anurans namely: Rana magna, Hylarana signata, Polypedates leucomystax, Occidozyga laevis, Limnonectes leytensis and Rhinella marina. It was found out that riparian area has the highest species richness and showed higher diversity index compared from the two areas. Based from CCA, it was found out that the area is composed of three (3) habitat types namely: forested; shrub land; and rocky area. Certain species of anurans were greatly associated according to the types where they are exposed. Several threats both man-made and natural-made have been identified that greatly affected the diversity of anuran species in the area.

Obedska Bara pond is situated in north-eastern Serbia, in the county of Srem (UTM: DQ14, DQ15, DQ24, DQ25). The mammal fauna of the Obedska Bara pond has been listed with reference to the literature data, data obtained by means of oral communication and the author's data gathered in the field in the course of 1993 and 1994 through the application of usual mammalogy methods. The list includes 46 species from 6 orders: Insectivora, Chiroptera, Lagomorpha, Rodentia, Carnivora and Artiodactyla, these being the total of the orders recorded for Vojvodina and Serbia. In the Obedska Bara area, the dominant species were C. capreolus, V. vulpes and A. agrarius. Less numerous, but always present, were the species from the Mustelidae family and C. aureus. Some of these species were under constant hunting ban (L. lutra, M. erminea, M. nivalis), and all the other species in Vojvodina are rare and endangered, in places even extinct. Out of the total of 46 listed species, 3 no longer inhabit this area (C. lupus, C. fiber, and S. citellus). Some of the listed species were first recorded for the area of the Obedska Bara pond. They are as follows: S. minutus, S. araneus, N. anomalus, C. leucodon, M. bechsteinii, E. serotinus, P. pipistrellus, P. auritus, P. subterraneus and R. norvegicus. Due to the diversity and a comparatively good state of preservation of the autochthonous habitats, there are species characteristic of very different ecosystems, such as subprovinces of Pannonian and Dacian steppes, partly changed into cultivated steppe, for the provinces of European, mostly deciduous forests, and for the autochthonous habitats of reed patches, rushes, swamp and riverine forests. The list of species given in the paper is by no means final: a dozen more species can be added to it in the course of future research. This is the most true for the Chiroptera, which are the least studied mammal fauna group in this area, and are consequently very attractive for future faunistic research. This area abounds with the protected species, and in Vojvodina with both rare and protected ones; the autochthonous ecosystems of these regions are varied and comparatively well-preserved; consequently, we can suggest the introduction of a higher protection degree into the broader area of Obedska Bara, unique and integral for all the diversity of elements.

Aquatic plants fulfil a wide range of ecological roles, and make a substantial contribution to the structure, function and service provision of aquatic ecosystems. Given their well-documented importance in aquatic ecosystems, research into aquatic plants continues to blossom. The 14th International Symposium on Aquatic Plants, held in Edinburgh in September 2015, brought together 120 delegates from 28 countries and six continents. This special issue of Hydrobiologia includes a select number of papers on aspects of aquatic plants, covering a wide range of species, systems and issues. In this paper, we present an overview of current trends and future directions in aquatic plant research in the early twenty first century. Our understanding of aquatic plant biology, the range of scientific issues being addressed and the range of techniques available to researchers have all arguably never been greater; however, substantial challenges exist to the conservation and management of both aquatic plants and the ecosystems in which they are found. The range of countries and continents represented by conference delegates and authors of papers in the special issue illustrates the global relevance of aquatic plant research in the early twenty first century but also the many challenges that this burgeoning scientific discipline must address.

Significant ecological, hydrologic, and geomorphic changes have occurred during the 20th century along many large floodplain rivers in the American Southwest. Native Populus forests have declined, while the exotic Eurasian shrub, Tamarix, has proliferated and now dominates most floodplain ecosystems. Photographs from late 19th and early 20th centuries illustrate wide river channels with largely bare in-channel landforms and shrubby higher channel margin floodplains. However, by the mid-20th century, floodplains supporting dense Tamarix stands had expanded, and river channels had narrowed. Along the lower Green River in eastern Utah, the causal mechanism of channel and floodplain changes remains ambiguous due to the confounding effects of climatically driven reductions in flood magnitude, river regulation by Flaming Gorge Dam, and Tamarix invasion. This study addressed whether Tamarix establishment and spread followed climate- or dam-induced reductions in annual peak flows or whether Tamarix was potentially a driver of floodplain changes. We aged 235 Tamarix and 57 Populus individuals, determined the hydrologic and geomorphic processes that controlled recruitment, identified the spatial relationships of germination sites within floodplain stratigraphic transects, and mapped woody riparian vegetation cohorts along three segments of the lower Green River.
The oldest Tamarix established along several sampling reaches in 1938, and 1.50–2.25 m of alluvium has accreted above their germination surfaces. Nearly 90% of the Tamarix and Populus samples established during flood years that exceeded the 2.5-year recurrence interval. Recruitment was most common when large floods were followed by years with smaller peak flows. The majority of Tamarix establishment and Green River channel narrowing occurred long before river regulation by Flaming Gorge Dam. Tamarix initially colonized bare instream sand deposits (e.g., islands and bars), and most channel and floodplain changes followed the establishment of Tamarix. Our results suggest that Tamarix recruitment was triggered by large annual floods that were followed by years with lower peak flows, not by periods of low flow alone. Tamarix appears to have actively invaded floodplains, while Populus colonization has been limited. Thus, Tamarix invasion may have greatly influenced floodplain development and riparian vegetation composition along the lower Green River since the early 20th century.

La presencia o ausencia de agua es un factor fundamental para comprender las relaciones entre una sociedad y el medio que le rodea. En aquellos espacios donde la interacción entre el agua y sociedad es especialmente significativa y perceptible hablamos de paisajes del agua. Este trabajo presenta cuatro ejemplos de paisajes del agua medievales localizados en la provincia de Cádiz, en ellos la relación entre sociedad y agua puede observarse también a través de las construcciones defensivas que organizaron los modos de ocupación y distribución espaciales: los castillos de Tempul y Gigonza se relacionan con importantes manantiales y arroyos, los de Iro y Barbate controlaban el cauce de ríos que fueron vías de comunicación y transporte de mercancías. De este estudio, en el que se han empleado diferentes fuentes secundarias, se deduce que el concepto de paisaje del agua ha estado presente también en las sociedades pasadas.

El libro aborda el tema de los sistemas ribereños y se centra en el estudio de los existentes en el Parque Nacional Popo-Izta (México).
This book addresses the issue of riparian systems and focuses on the study of those existing in the Popo-Izta National Park (Mexico).

Park managers are increasingly faced with responding to the recent rise of those experiencing unsheltered homelessness residing in urban green spaces. In response, researchers have explored and attempted to mitigate a variety of negative social and ecological impacts associated with unsheltered homelessness in urban parks. However, these impacts are often mitigated through the enforcement of policies criminalizing homeless park use or through environmentally harmful changes to landscapes. To help generate more equitable and beneficial solutions to unsheltered homelessness in urban green spaces, this study based in the United States interrogated a variety of stakeholders' perspectives, including park managers, local community members, and relevant social service organizations. Overall, data expressed how unsheltered homelessness and related cyclical mitigations negatively affected the social and environmental benefits of urban park systems, as well as illuminating the need for a more informed citizenry about the challenges facing individuals experiencing homelessness through public education. Implications for urban park managers and stakeholders are discussed.

Zasavica Special Nature Reserve (SNR) has been established in 1997 and the revision of its legal status, by which reserve boundary will be significantly extended, is nearing completion. Data on mammal species presence within the survey area, defined by the new boundary of the Zasavica SNR, have been collected 1997-2017, in the field and through review of literature and documentation, which is summarised here and the final species list is presented. The mammal fauna of the Zasavica SNR consists of a total of 65 species, 56 of which have been recorded in the field while 9 are considered potentially present (7 certain, 2 possible), which is 68% of the entire Serbian mammal fauna and makes Zasavica SNR significant for conservation of mammal diversity at the national level. There are 7 Eulipotyphla species recorded – Erinaceus roumanicus, Sorex minutus, S.araneus, Neomys anomalus, Crocidura suaveolens, C.leucodon, Talpa europaea; 16 (+8 potentially) Chiroptera – Rhinolophus ferrumequinum, Myotis daubentonii, M.mystacinus, M.alcathoe, M.emarginatus, M.bechsteinii, Nyctalus noctula, N.leisleri, Pipistrellus pipistrellus, P.pygmaeus, P.nathusii, P.kuhlii, Hypsugo savii, Eptesicus serotinus, Barbastella barbastellus, Miniopterus schreibersii (Myotis dasycneme, M.brandtii, M.nattereri, M.myotis, M.oxygnathus, Vespertilio murinus, Plecotus auritus, P.austriacus); 18 (+1) Rodentia – Sciurus vulgaris, Castor fiber, Cricetus cricetus, Myodes glareolus, Arvicola amphibius, Ondatra zibethicus, Microtus subterraneus, M.arvalis, Micromys minutus, Apodemus flavicollis, A.uralensis, A.sylvaticus, A.agrarius, Rattus norvegicus, Mus musculus, M.spicilegus, Glis glis, Muscardinus avellanarius (Nannospalax leucodon); 1 Lagomorpha – Lepus europaeus; 12 Carnivora – Canis aureus, Vulpes vulpes, Nyctereutes procyonoides, Mustela nivalis, M.erminea, M.putorius, M.eversmanii, Martes martes, M.foina, Meles meles, Lutra lutra, Felis silvestris; 2 Cetartiodactyla – Sus scrofa, Capreolus capreolus. Specificity and particular value are semiaquatic and species associated with aquatic habitats – particularly reintroduced Castor fiber, as well as numerous species associated with forest habitats – especially Myotis bechsteinii and Barbastella barbastellus considered endangered (vulnerable - VU) in Europe. Another 5 species are considered near threatened (NT) in Europe and globally, while 56 are legally protected in Serbia, 33 of which as strictly protected wild species. Significant problem for mammal fauna conservation are wandering dogs and cats that are present throughout the reserve in an uncontrolled number affecting adversely, through competition, predation and disturbance, many wild species.
Specijalni rezervat prirode (SRP) Zasavica zaštićen je od 1997. a pri kraju je revizija zaštite kojom će površina rezervata biti značajno povećana. Na području istraživanja, definisanom novim granicama SRP Zasavica, terenskim aktivnostima i pregledom literature i dokumentacije, u periodu 1997-2017. prikupljani su podaci o prisustvu vrsta sisara, što je ovde sumirano i daje se konačna lista vrsta. Faunu sisara SRP Zasavica čini ukupno 65 vrsta, od kojih je 56 zabeleženo na terenu, a 9 su potencijalno prisutne (7 izvesno, 2 moguće), što je 68% faune sisara Srbije i čini ovo područje značajnim za očuvanje diverziteta faune sisara na nacionalnom nivou. Zabeleženo je 7 vrsta Eulipotyphla – Erinaceus roumanicus, Sorex minutus, S.araneus, Neomys anomalus, Crocidura suaveolens, C.leucodon, Talpa europaea; 16 (+8 potencijalno) Chiroptera – Rhinolophus ferrumequinum, Myotis daubentonii, M.mystacinus, M.alcathoe, M.emarginatus, M.bechsteinii, Nyctalus noctula, N.leisleri, Pipistrellus pipistrellus, P.pygmaeus, P.nathusii, P.kuhlii, Hypsugo savii, Eptesicus serotinus, Barbastella barbastellus, Miniopterus schreibersii (Myotis dasycneme, M.brandtii, M.nattereri, M.myotis, M.oxygnathus, Vespertilio murinus, Plecotus auritus, P.austriacus); 18 (+1) Rodentia – Sciurus vulgaris, Castor fiber, Cricetus cricetus, Myodes glareolus, Arvicola amphibius, Ondatra zibethicus, Microtus subterraneus, M.arvalis, Micromys minutus, Apodemus flavicollis, A.uralensis, A.sylvaticus, A.agrarius, Rattus norvegicus, Mus musculus, M.spicilegus, Glis glis, Muscardinus avellanarius (Nannospalax leucodon); 1 Lagomorpha – Lepus europaeus; 12 Carnivora – Canis aureus, Vulpes vulpes, Nyctereutes procyonoides, Mustela nivalis, M.erminea, M.putorius, M.eversmanii, Martes martes, M.foina, Meles meles, Lutra lutra, Felis silvestris; 2 Cetartiodactyla – Sus scrofa, Capreolus capreolus. Specifičnost i posebna vrednost su semiakvatične i vrste vezane za vodena staništa – naročito reintrodukovana Castor fiber, kao i brojne vrste izrazito vezane za šumska staništa – naročito Myotis bechsteinii i Barbastella barbastellus koje su ugrožene (ranjive - VU) u Evropi. Još 5 prisutnih vrsta su skoro ugrožene (NT) u Evropi i globalno, a 56 je u Srbiji zaštićeno zakonom, čak 33 kao strogo zaštićene divlje vrste. Ozbiljan problem za očuvanje faune sisara su lutajući psi i mačke koji su širom rezervata prisutni u nekontrolisanom broju i kroz kompeticiju, predaciju i uznemiravanje veoma negativno utiču na mnoge divlje vrste.

Wetlands are ecosystems of great ecological values. The produced biomass of these areas can act as an alternative renewable energy source. Lake Agras is an artificial wetland in central Macedonia. The
purpose of the survey was to record and analyze qualitatively and quantitatively species that end up outside the wetland with the flow of water. Various aquatic species were harvested. The species with
the highest presence in the samples was Myriophyllum spp., while fewer had Phragmites australis and Myriophyllum spp. Highest moisture content was measured in Myriophyllum spp. and the smallest in
Phragmites australis. The average dry weight per cubic meter was calculated to be 10,548 kg.

Kurzfassung: Es wird über eine bemerkenswerte krautige Flussuferflora auf Kies-und Schotterbänken des Rheins und ihr Auftreten nach der extremen Dürreperiode des Sommers 2018 berichtet.
Abstract: A notable herbaceous riparian flora on gravel banks in the floodplain of the River Rhine and the response to the drought in Central Europe in 2018 are reported.

The role of riparian forests is important in mitigating the impacts of human activities in the aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems and keeping them in a good ecological condition ensures the existence of the diversity of life in this region Sperchios River is the third largest river in the region of Central Greece and a major river in central Greece having about 85 Km length. It has been included in the European network NATURA 2000 with code GR2440002. It's considered amongst the largest riparian forests of Platanus orientalis, in south east Europe, and one of the largest unfragmented and pristine riparian forests in Greece .This study is aiming to investigate the current situation in a river system with its diverse riparian habitats, which can be the essential tool for its proper management. More specifically, the study area is a segment of the river from the Kastri until Anthili where the new motorway PATHE (part of the European E75) passes. The purpose of this research is to record the current state of the riparian forest in the middle course of the Sperchios river, just before the delta area. In this segment of the river is developing intense human activity. There are settlements and major transportation projects such as highways E65, E75 and the railway network with the old and new line, agricultural crops, deforestation of riparian vegetation, which directly or indirectly affects natural riparian ecosystems of the Sperchios river. This study also aims to document human activities and potential pressures and impacts on this riparian forest. Furthermore suggestions are being made for the development of management measures for the conservation, recovery where necessary and its enhancement.

The Colorado River and its tributaries in and around the Grand Canyon have yet to be honored with Wild and Scenic River (WSR) designation.  The suite of ecological, recreational, and scenic values exhibited by these waterways are unparalleled on the planet, hence their famed national park and World Heritage Site status.  These waterways are largely responsible for carving the Canyon's magnificent landscape over millions of years and, like a keystone species, these riparian corridors have evolved into a textbook example of a keystone habitat in that they support an unusually high percentage of the canyon's biological diversity (Barnes 2005a, Stevens & Perla 2008). Applying the concept of a keystone species to Grand Canyon’s riparian systems can be useful when considering how its arid landscapes function ecologically, and in developing strategies for conservation.  Unfortunately, even Grand Canyon’s springs, seeps, and streams are now threatened, and wild and scenic river designation can help save them.

This practice-led research project explores processes of cultural response to the communication of complex environmental issues through two main forms of process-based art production: one in the private studio in the form of drawings and the other in the

ABSTRACT Riparian vegetation performs important ecosystem functions, since it maintains regional biodiversity and provides a range of environmental services. However, anthropogenic activity, land use type, and edge effects are factors that modify the riparian species assemblage and properties. The present study analyzes the influence of adjacent land use on the structure and diversity of riparian vegetation in four hydrographic regions that form the watershed of the river Duero, in the state of Michoacán, Mexico. Using a survey of woody plants of dbh ≥ 2.5 cm in ten different 0.1 ha sites, we found that the average number of stems and individuals was lower under agricultural (AGR) and urban (URB) land use, compared to forested areas (FOR). The proportion of multistemmed plants differs among land uses: this value was greater in AGR than in the FOR and URB categories. This proportion also differed among the four hydrographic regions. The land use type FOR presented the highest alpha and beta diversity, with a high number of native species occurring only in areas defined by this land use. The results indicate that the category FOR plays an important role in the conservation of regional flora and is a possible source of germplasm for restoration programs in sites degraded by human disturbance. This study shows how anthropogenic activities affect riparian vegetation and highlights the importance of further study of this ecosystem to apply sustainable management strategies that are compatible with its conservation.