Riparian zones include ponds, rivers, marshes, and other sources of water in a forest. Photo by Maya Walters |
Tropical rainforests are the most diverse habitats in the world, and areas surrounding rivers are the most diverse habitats in the rainforest. Rivers also have the power to change habitats and create new ones, by undercutting riverbanks, distributing silt downstream, by flooding surrounding areas. Swamps, marshes, ponds, and small streams are often formed around the edges of large rivers. The water and the moist habitats in the surrounding area are called riparian zones. |
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