Ecological revetments for enhanced interception of nonpoint source pollutants: a review

Abstract

The riparian zone is a transitional zone between aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems and is also the only passage for surface runoff to enter a river. The role of the riparian zone as a means for intercepting nonpoint source (NPS) pollution has been receiving growing attention and, in recent years, various ecological revetments have been developed to strengthen the interception of runoff pollutants. This research reviews the current development of ecological revetments in terms of NPS pollution control with a focus on the key functions and optimization methods of vegetation allocation and substrate configuration. Future research on improving the ecological revetments for enhanced NPS pollution control are also highlighted. This review is intended to provide a technical reference for the optimization and implementation of ecological revetment projects, and possible pathways for the effective control of NPS pollution.