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Riparian or riverine forests are confined to riverbanks and floodplains. The majority of Nebraska's forests and shrub communities are found in narrow bands along rivers and streams. This is a consequence of water, wind, fire and the dispersal of seed. There is also more likely to be enough natural moisture close to the streams and rivers. Today fires are controlled and the forest has begun to extend into the prairie. Once, prairie fires ignited by lightening and Native Americans burned freely across the plains, eliminating most woody plants. The plow has taken over the same function and limited the growth of trees to some extent. Wind and water both flow eastward and tree seeds seeds blown and carried by water tend not to go west, so natural expansion of forests is seldom far toward the west. Smaller plants such as berries and edible fruits are dispersed primarily by animals and birds which seldom venture far from the edge of the riparian corridors except during migration. A great diversity of species find homes in the riparian woodlands along the streams and rivers of nebraska. The most common tree species is the Nebraska state tree, the cottonwood, recognized easily in the summer by the sight and sound of the fluttering glitter of its shiny leaves. Many other plant and animal species populate the riparian zone and there is great diversity in the various forests across the state, reflecting the precipitation patterns and the variety, size and dynamics of the rivers along which they grow. |
