Meet the Jordan River: an Ecological Walk Along the Riparian Zone
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Meet the Jordan River: An Ecological Walk Along the Riparian Zone A riparian zone, like the one you're walking along today, is the interface between land and a river or stream. Plant habitats and communities along the river margins and banks are called riparian vegetation, and are characterized by hydrophilic (“water loving”) plants. Riparian zones are significant in ecology, environmental management, and civil engineering because of their role in soil conservation, habitat biodiversity, and the influence they have on fauna and aquatic ecosystems, including grassland, woodland, and wetlands. 1. “Education Tree” 2. Sandbar or Coyote Willow Old male Box Elder Salix exigua Acer negundo Z Sandbar Willow is an important Box Elders are one of the most plants in the riparian zone. It valuable trees native trees for grows in thickets up to 8 feet tall riparian wildlife habitat. on both sides of the river. They stabilize streambanks, provide cover and cooling, and Look for graceful arching their brittle branches create hollows for bird nests. branches and delicate yellow Caterpillars, aphids and Box Elder bugs feed on the tree and catkins in spring. are food source many bird species Beavers use branches for food and construction. Yellow warblers hunt for insects under the protection of the willow Box Elder wood was used for bowls, pipe stems, and drums. thicket. Box Elders are the only members of the maple family with Fremont Indians used willow for home construction, fishing compound leaves. weirs, and basket making. Easily propagated by plunging cut stems into the mud near the water. 3. Hemp Dogbane and Common 4. Pocket Gopher/ vole Reed tunnels and mounds Apocynum cannabinum and Phragmites australis These rodents eat grass, roots, and tubers. Native Americans used dogbane for cord, string, and nets. Though we consider their tunnels a nuisance, they do Phragmites can grow up to 15 feet in important work by aerating dense stands that crowd out native the soil. vegetation. 5. Woods Rose 6. Bank Beaver Den Rosa woodsii: West side just before the A native spreading to erect shrub river curves south. often found growing in thickets Beavers may dig out the along the Jordan River. river's bank if there isn't enough native vegetation Red stems with straight thorns and to build a proper lodge of compound leaves; flowers in June sticks and mud. and sets hips in fall. Beavers are aquatic animals and America's largest rodent; Rose hips are a valuable food source for birds in winter. 45-60 pounds Ideal plant for restoration sites because it spreads quickly by They dam streams and rivers to create wetlands by cutting rhizomes and provides refuges for small animals. down trees with their teeth. Look for signs of beaver all along the Jordan River. 7. Cattails along the terrace. One of the first wetland plants to colonize exposed mud. Provide food and cover for wildlife. Leaves and stalks were used for mats and baskets and food. This figure illustrates an ideal river terrace. 8. Saltgrass 9. Golden Currant Distichlis spicata (L.) Greene Ribes aureum: Forms dense mats with rhizomes and is A native shrub that grows up to excellent for soil erosion and keeping four feet in wet areas such as weeds at bey. stream and river banks. Native Americans in Nevada and Utah Look for its pretty yellow used saltgrass as a cereal crop. clusters of fragrant blossoms. Fruits are small, sweet, and a valuable food source for songbirds and other mammals. 10. Russian Olive Elaeagnus angustifolia L. Non-native/invasive tree/large shrub These trees have been damaged by beaver. While it is good for humans that beavers are doing the heavy labor of invasive tree removal, it's a bad sign that the beaver's main food source, willow and cottonwood, is scarce. Russian Olive is extremely difficult to control and nearly impossible to eradicate because it can thrive in almost any soil and tolerates drought. It easily colonizes and displaces native riparian vegetation. Q. Why is this plant considered invasive if birds nest in its branches and eat its fruit? A. Russian Olive dominated communities provide inferior wildlife habitat to that of native riparian vegetation. Think back to the Box Elders and willows at the beginning of this walk. Why do they provide superior wildlife habitat? .