10 Steps to evaluate rangeland riparian health.

摘要

This study discusses the 10 steps/criteria which provide a simple, semi-quantitative guide for evaluating riparian health. These are: (1) streambed geology; (2) embeddedness; (3) width-depth ratio; (4) bank stability; (5) pool-riffle ratio; (6) buffer width; (7) vegetation diversity; (8) riparian vegetation structural diversity; (9) vegetation cover; and (10) canopy shading. These basic indicators were applied on the Montana Allotment in southeastern Arizona, USA in late summer 2000. Eight sites were selected for evaluation which received ratings ranging from 3.2-3.7, which are all in good or excellent categories. This survey indicates that carefully controlled grazing may promote the same rate of riparian improvement as grazing inclusion on somesites.