The hydrological and geomorphological significance of forested floodplains

Abstract

Within river corridors, the distribution of plant species and communities is heavily influenced by hydrological and geomorphological processes. Furthermore, the vegetation can have a direct influence on the detailed character and rate of hydrogeomorphological processes. This paper reviews such interactions at a variety of spatial scales ranging from vegetation gradients across entire floodplains from hillslope to river channel, to the local influences of bank vegetation and in-channel accumulations of woody debris.