The influence of riparian vegetation on water quality in a mixed land use river basin

摘要: Worldwide, agricultural activities are associated with environmental impacts including riparian degradation and increased waterway pollution. The Fitzroy Basin of Central Queensland lies within the Brigalow Belt Bioregion, which is currently experiencing highest rates tree clearing in Australia driven by grazing activities, this likely to increase degradation. Local condition, however, has not been consistently monitored Basin, its relationship water quality well established. This study assessed condition waterways using two established scoring methods (the Rapid Appraisal Riparian Condition Australian Rivers Assessment System Habitat Assessment) statistically investigated between stream local condition. Twelve sites six were sampled four times over years, during ambient (nonflood) conditions. Upstream creeks poorer had elevated dissolved organic carbon (DOC), manganese, sulfate, total nitrogen (TN) concentrations. High concentrations these variables poor scores principal components analysis. Dissolved manganese sulfate included multiple regression model for (r values: 0.83 0.86; p < 0.001), DOC TN very significantly negatively correlated −0.55 −0.69; 0.001). Overall, results suggest that protecting vegetation restoring degraded zones could aid improving region.