Riparian Forests and Climate Change: Interactive Zone of Green and Blue Infrastructure

Abstract

AbstractRiparian forests are recognized as green/blue infrastructure that provides various ecosystem services, including water transport, shade from sunlight energy, supply of leaf litter, input of terrestrial insect, delivery of large wood, maintenance of water quality, and corridors for wildlife. However, these forests have already experienced negative impacts from various anthropogenic stressors, such as forest cutting, agricultural development, river regulation, and dam construction. Moreover, the climate projections for the twenty-first century in Japan indicate that mean precipitation may increase by more than 10%, and other projections predict an increase in the frequency of high-magnitude floods and a reduction in the discharge of snowmelt floods. In this chapter, we describe probable changes in the structure and function of riparian forests that might result and describe adaption strategies to reduce the potential impacts of climate change on stream and riparian ecosystems exacerbated by anthropogenic stressors.