Riparian Areas of Greece: Their Definition and Characteristics

Abstract

Riparian areas are unique and of high importance ecosystems because they are adjacent to surface freshwater bodies such as streams, rivers and lakes. They are the semi-aquatic transitional zones (ecotones) between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Water, soil and vegetation are the three main characteristics that differentiate them compared to other ecosystems. Furthermore, they are present in all biomes (from deserts to tropical forests) and are found in a great range of hydrologic and geomorphologic conditions that results in a great variety of riparian habitat types. In Greece, there are five major riparian forest habitat types that also occur in most of the semi-arid Mediterranean regions. Frequent disturbance is another unique characteristic that differentiates riparian areas. The major disturbances that shape riparian areas in Greece are unpredicted flood and drought events, as well as fires but to a lesser degree. Wetlands are another important semi-aquatic ecosystems that many consider as synonymous to riparian areas. In reality, these two ecosystems overlap but they are also different since wetlands are considered as "wetter" and less disturbance driven than riparian areas.