Introduction To The Riparian Ecosystem:
A riparian ecosystem is basically wherever you see a lake, stream, and river. But what separates us from every other zone is that we're not in one specific climate or zone. Say there is a stream flowing by your house, since you're right on the stream therefore your house is located in the riparian zone. Lets also say there's a lake in the middle of a dessert, even though its hot and dry rather than being wet and humid its still a riparian zone because its a body of water that is defined under the  riparian zone standards. To sum it all up, a riparian zone is where land meets lake, stream or river.

Abiotic Characteristics

Average Temperatures
Average temperatures in the riparian ecosystems are usually 30° in the day time. Scientist predict that these temperatures will grow over time because of global warming, but for now scientist believe this 30° isn’t higher because riparian zones or ecosystems are usually mostly shaded so the temperatures below the leaves of trees are colder than they would be if the air was not shaded.

Average Precipitation Amounts
The average precipitation amount changes throughout the year drastically! In spring it is going to rain the most like in most places, In Winter and Fall it will probably not rain as much because in order for it to rain the water must first evaporate from the pond streams and rivers then condensate in the clouds, finally precipitating down onto the ground. If it’s winter the lakes, rivers, and streams are frozen so it’s harder for the air to evaporate the water into the clouds.

Elevation Range
Riparian zones or areas are found at every elevation and in all landforms. The look of the Riparian zones changes depending on the physical conditions of the climate like: How much precipitation the climate gets, how dry or dense the soil is, what the temperature is and their location,  the elevation,what the valleys are like, and if the riparian zones are in canyons.

​Major Consumers

Diets
All six animals that live in the riparian zone   embody different styles of hunting and eat different animals/plants.
 ~Beavers - their diet mostly consists of treebark, roots, and buds.
~Moose - eat herbs, aquatic plants, willow, and birch.
~Cutthroat Trout - eats a well balanced diet with algae and small insects.
~Western Painted Turtle - feeds on a variety of animals like the crayfish, dragonfly larva, and duckweed.
~Canyon Tree Frog - eats beetles, caddisflies, and true bugs.
Tiger Salamander  - eats  worms, insects, frogs, and sometimes other salamanders.

Habitats
Within this one zone many habitats flourish with the animals that live in them.
~Beaver - very good at cutting down wood with there very big teeth.  They are able the make dams in rivers, streams, and ponds.
~Moose - thrive in forest areas by water and seasonal snow cover.
~Cutthroat Trout -  live in coastal waters and freshwater rivers and need clean rocky streams to live in.
~Western Painted Turtle - bloom in shallow waters, marshes and ponds.  They can spend 20 minutes under water.
~Canyon Treefrog - live in underground burrows for most of the year.  When a large storm hits they come out of their burrows and mate in the little puddles of water and from there tadpoles are formed.
~Tiger Salamander - live  in two foot deep holes like cayan tree frog , but when snow comes they go into underground chambers to keep themselves from getting to cold. In the summer they come up from their chambers and mate.

Adaptations
An adaptation is a genetic change within the  animal that helps it survive the harsh environment.  
~Beavers  - have a long list of cool adaptations such as putting  oil on their skin that makes their body waterproof so they can swim with ease and helps their underfur keep nice and dry.   They also have very sharp teeth that allow them to the cut down materials like wood to make their dams.
~Moose -  have strong muscles that helps them run up to 35 miles per hour. They have a huge six foot frame which makes walking through a tall water searching for aquatic foods as easy as eating cake.
~Cutthroat Trout - has adapted to cold water in high elevation and like to be in slow moving water.
~Western Painted Turtle - has clawed webbed feet to make it easier to make its way through the mud. They also bask (which is lie or be exposed to pleasant weather) to save up energy.
~Canyon Treefrog - can blend very well with its environment.  
~Tiger Salamander - are able to survive  in very cold and high climates.

Human Impacts

In the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, people brought tamarisk and Russian olive trees to decorate the riverbanks. Now they are taking over a lot of the lower part the riparian zones. They both do major damage on the native land, like they use more water bringing down the water level so the native plants don’t get the amount they need.


Is water use or water diversion an issue?
It is not an issue at the moment. The government states that water can be diverted to an approved area. The system that is wanting to divert the water to an approved place must have a permit signed by state officials or the owner of that riparian area. If this law is not followed water use and water diversion could become an issue.


What are the threats on the Riparian Ecosystem?
The main threats that constitute problems within the riparian zone are, overgrazing (that when herbivores over-feed on grasses and other organisms),  logging (which is where they cut and skin trees) agriculture (it’s creating crops which is then used to feed humans), building dams (it's for conserving water), and human development (it's expanding the richness of human life).

Products That the Roaring Fork Uses
The Roaring Fork use the ecosystem to live. People in the Roaring Fork use things like the Roaring Fork river for water. They also use the trees and mountains. We use the rivers for rafting and fishing. We use mountains for skiing. Drinking water from the rivers and lakes.

Works Cited

Birds
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Bird Adaptation
Birds live in places that we call wetland, forest,  heathland, and woodland. Birds also prey on small rodents such as rats, lizards and some other birds. Birds such as parrots will eat anything that’s not rotten. Other birds diets include fruits,seeds and insect. After those they will eat anything else (and yes some parrots are riparian).

Bald Eagles
The Bald Eagle lives in North America. They live from the Mexico border to the United States, Canada, and even Alaska!   The Bald Eagle has many adaptations.  It has a pointed beak and sharp talons to help it catch fish.  The Bald Eagle also has a long wingspan (5.9-7.5 ft). This wingspan helps it to fly high and stalk its prey by not scaring its prey away, losing the chance to eat.    The Bald Eagle mostly only eats fish. It catches theses fish by using its long wingspan to swoop down and catch its prey. Once caught it sinks its long talons into the fish making it bleed out or suffocate. Occasionally the Bald Eagle will eat: Ducks, snakes, turtles, muskrats, rabbits, fawns, mice, frogs, snails, and other birds like: Vulture vomit and carrion. ​
 
The Great Horned Owl
 The Great Horned Owl gravates to woodlands, swamps, orchards, and agricultural areas. They also enjoy suburban areas and even cities. From there they make nest and begin to thrive in the environment.
Diets: Great horned owls have a very diverse selection of food that consists of small rodents, scorpions, hares, skunks, geese, and raptors. But their sweet tooth is aimed towards mammals and birds. But they also supplement with reptiles, insects, fish, and invertebrates into their diet. Adaptations: The Great horned has a long list of abilities that seem natural such as, they can fly completely silent and catch prey easily. They can also turn there 270 degrees and they have great night vision. They really are the ultimate hunting machine.

Yellowthroat
The Yellowthroat has a diet of mostly bugs and grubs like grasshoppers, beetles, ants, aphids, flies, dragonflies and many others. Occasionally they will even feed on baby trout or other small fish. They can be found in Alaska, Canada, and the U.S. depending on the species. They migrate further to the southern states in winter for warmer weather. They will mostly be found in wetlands and swamps. The yellowthroat has adapted to have jerky flight to help escape from predators. They also build their nests near ground so the babies don’t fall out out of the nest and hurt themselves.

Great blue heron
Adaptations for the great blue heron is that is has the ability to dive at prey very fast because of their strong neck. The heron can also change its neck into an S shape.
Diet: the great blue heron this bird usually feeds off most frogs and snakes and feed around dusk and dawn.
Habitat: the Great blue heron live upon fresh water lakes, rivers, streams.

Black wing stilt
Diet: The black winged stilt usually eats land insects and some types of fish.
Habitat: The black winged stilt can be found near large rivers and lakes near land. Adaptations: The blacked winged stilt has the adaptation of night vision and long legs for faster flight for bigger birds.

Black crowned Night Heron
Adaptation: The black crowned night heron do not hunt in the daytime like other herons do. The night heron will eat anything they can get even though fish are their primary prey.
Diet: The Blackcrowned night heron favors terrestrial, freshwater, and marine animals, and within those categories they prefer eating leeches, earthworms, insects, fish and ect. They usually  hunt between evening and early morning.
Habitat:  The black crowned night herons are commonly found in wetlands around North America. Within these areas, they can be found in salt marshes, swamps, streams, rivers. They also spend their winters in southern and coastal areas.




Major Producers

​Aspen Tree
The Aspen trees grow well in just about any place, but in the riparian zone they flourish. They are hardy and can adapt to almost anything. They make good homes for animals and are good food for some animals like deer, beaver, moose, etc.  When a tree dies, they make good homes for lots of birds and small animals such as raccoons and squirrels. The Aspen tree grows better in places with more water and higher elevation. In the riparian zone, they have plenty of water so they can grow tall and strong. The Aspen tree has adapted to live together. In other words, when you see a patch of aspen trees, it’s really just one plant. Like raspberries, the roots spread out and eventually hit the surface where they make a new tree. That's why in the fall, if you look at the mountains, patches of trees will change at different times.  This helps them because if a beaver chews one tree down, the plant can just sprout a new one.
Cottonwood
Some species of Cottonwoods can live up to 100 years and grow to be very big trees. This makes them a good for shelter for smaller animals and a good place for birds to nest. Cottonwoods grow better in wetter environments. They use a lot of water and need lots of sun to grow. This is why they grow so well near rivers or streams. The cottonwood has adapted to be able to survive through fires when they are 15 years of age. Their bark grows thicker and helps to protect the tree. This allows them to live longer.
Willow
Willows  grow to be very big with long branches that almost reach the ground. The willow was originally from China, but early settlers brought it to the US for decoration. The willow can live in part shade/part sun or sun. They can also grow in many different soils such as sand, loam, clay and alkaline soils. Some species of willow have pointed leaves, called pubescents, to help the leaves stay on in the winter. They even have the ability to create a pesticide which keeps the insects away.
Cattails
Cattails are a very good home for many animals such as birds who can nest in them, baby fish who can hide in the roots,  and insects find homes there too. Cattails live in marshes and near lakes mostly, buy you can also find them by rivers and streams. Cattails have a rhizome which is an extra root that comes out and makes a new plant. This allows the plant to grow larger and connect with other plants. They can also breath through their stem allowing them to live under water. Other plants will die if you put the roots in water because they get their air from their roots.
Blue Spruce
The Blue Spruce tree has spiky needles rather than soft ones. It can often be confused for firs and pines. It also provides a protective home for many animals. Spruce can live in both shaded and sun spots, but they prefer sun. In the sun they can grow faster. They also prefer moist places rather than dry. Some species of spruce have special adapted needles and bark that help to protect it from fire damage. Many people use them for building homes because it doesn’t burn as easily as other wood.
Red Alder
The red alder has rounded leaves and likes to grow in patches so they can all protect each other. They grow well in low elevation by the Pacific Coast.  They also prefer moist environments. The red alder has adapted to grow faster than normal so they can take over areas faster. Alders are nitrogen fixing plants, meaning they make their own nitrogen allowing baby plants to be able to grow faster after a flood.
Coniferous or Deciduous
 Trees and shrubs that lose their leaves in the winter are deciduous and  trees and shrubs don’t lose their leaves are coniferous. The aspen, red alder, cottonwood and willow are all deciduous, and the blue spruce, lodgepole pine, pine, redwoods, and fir are all coniferous.