them into other less toxic compounds within the ecotone before the runoff reaches
the water body (Rowinski et al. 2018). These systems have been explored in terms of
the removal efficiency of pollutants such as nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and
sediment. Most of the researches pertaining to the role of riparian vegetation in
reducing pollutants from river water are confined to the countries of Europe and
North America (Vidon et al. 2019) with minimal work being reported from India.
The present scenario of rivers in India demands a research outlook to the role of
riparian vegetation as NBS for Indian rivers, as these systems lie at the crossroads of
the biosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, atmosphere and anthrosphere and are an
important part of riverine systems, serving multiple socioecological functions
(Dufour et al. 2019; Naiman et al. 2005).
9.2 Defining the Word “Riparian”
The word riparian has a lingual derivation from the Latin word “riparius,” meaning
from “bank” (https://www.merriam-webster.com/). The origin of this word dates
back to the mid-nineteenth century. The initial usage of the term was notably legal
rather than scientific. The legal usage of the term dates back to the 1800s confined to
political boundaries of the USA for describing the property of citizens adjacent to
stream or river (Klett 2002; Baker 2002). However, on the scientific background, it is
difficult to trace as to when did the scientists first adopted the term “riparian”. Baker
(2002) states that this term started appearing in scientific literature since the 1970s.
Later during the 1980s, several scientists, agencies and the public were seen managing the riparian areas; thus it was during this decade which an effort was made to
define this term; consequently, this decade was seen with conceptualising what
“riparian” actually is, and the year 1985 was termed as “the year of the riparian”
(Anderson 1987).
In literature the word “riparian” has not been defined as a single entity but in
association with various suffixes such as riparian area, riparian zone, riparian
reserve, riparian system, riparian ecosystem, riparian corridor and riparian ecotone.
Verry et al. (2004) stated that the meanings of all the suffixes are more or less similar.
Among the suffixes used, the most common ones are riparian zone and riparian
buffer zone. Both of these suffixes have been intermittently used by the researchers,
Wegner (1999) puts forth the difference between these two words, explaining that
“buffer” is used with riparian as suffix during measurement of the important function
of this transition zone, i.e. to shield the rivers/streams from the anthropogenic
influences. The differentiation of Wegner (1999) points towards the importance of
these areas/zones. Other than these suffixes, the word “riparian zone” has also been
synonymously used as stream corridor, river corridor, ribbons of life, riparian
woodlands, riparian forests, riparian buffer zones, riparian strips, riparian zones,
alluvial floodplains, etc. (Zaimes et al. 2010). This addition of varied suffixes and
synonymous usage of the word “riparian” perplexes the researcher as to what to add
to riparian while defining it in river science. To make it a little simpler, Ilhardt et al.
202
S. Sharma et al.
the water body (Rowinski et al. 2018). These systems have been explored in terms of
the removal efficiency of pollutants such as nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and
sediment. Most of the researches pertaining to the role of riparian vegetation in
reducing pollutants from river water are confined to the countries of Europe and
North America (Vidon et al. 2019) with minimal work being reported from India.
The present scenario of rivers in India demands a research outlook to the role of
riparian vegetation as NBS for Indian rivers, as these systems lie at the crossroads of
the biosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, atmosphere and anthrosphere and are an
important part of riverine systems, serving multiple socioecological functions
(Dufour et al. 2019; Naiman et al. 2005).
9.2 Defining the Word “Riparian”
The word riparian has a lingual derivation from the Latin word “riparius,” meaning
from “bank” (https://www.merriam-webster.com/). The origin of this word dates
back to the mid-nineteenth century. The initial usage of the term was notably legal
rather than scientific. The legal usage of the term dates back to the 1800s confined to
political boundaries of the USA for describing the property of citizens adjacent to
stream or river (Klett 2002; Baker 2002). However, on the scientific background, it is
difficult to trace as to when did the scientists first adopted the term “riparian”. Baker
(2002) states that this term started appearing in scientific literature since the 1970s.
Later during the 1980s, several scientists, agencies and the public were seen managing the riparian areas; thus it was during this decade which an effort was made to
define this term; consequently, this decade was seen with conceptualising what
“riparian” actually is, and the year 1985 was termed as “the year of the riparian”
(Anderson 1987).
In literature the word “riparian” has not been defined as a single entity but in
association with various suffixes such as riparian area, riparian zone, riparian
reserve, riparian system, riparian ecosystem, riparian corridor and riparian ecotone.
Verry et al. (2004) stated that the meanings of all the suffixes are more or less similar.
Among the suffixes used, the most common ones are riparian zone and riparian
buffer zone. Both of these suffixes have been intermittently used by the researchers,
Wegner (1999) puts forth the difference between these two words, explaining that
“buffer” is used with riparian as suffix during measurement of the important function
of this transition zone, i.e. to shield the rivers/streams from the anthropogenic
influences. The differentiation of Wegner (1999) points towards the importance of
these areas/zones. Other than these suffixes, the word “riparian zone” has also been
synonymously used as stream corridor, river corridor, ribbons of life, riparian
woodlands, riparian forests, riparian buffer zones, riparian strips, riparian zones,
alluvial floodplains, etc. (Zaimes et al. 2010). This addition of varied suffixes and
synonymous usage of the word “riparian” perplexes the researcher as to what to add
to riparian while defining it in river science. To make it a little simpler, Ilhardt et al.
202
S. Sharma et al.