Plant riparian buffer strips

Overall effectiveness category Unknown effectiveness (limited evidence)
Number of studies: 1
Share Tweet Email

View assessment score

How is the evidence assessed?

Effectiveness

0%
Certainty

30%
Harms

0%

Calculating overall effectiveness category

Background information and definitions

Uncultivated strips of vegetation at the edge of waterways are often used to help reduce pollution entering the water within agricultural and forestry systems. These buffer strips therefore help to protect aquatic and semi-aquatic species.

Studies that investigated retaining riparian buffers are discussed in ‘Threat: Biological resource use – Logging & wood harvesting – Retain riparian buffer strips during timber harvest’, ‘Habitat protection – Retain buffer zones around core habitat’ and ‘Threat: Agriculture – Exclude domestic animals or wild hogs by fencing’.

Study locations

Key messages

One replicated, controlled study in the USA found that planting buffer strips along streams did not increase amphibian abundance, numbers of species, or the ratio of adults to tadpoles.

About key messages

Key messages provide a descriptive index to studies we have found that test this intervention.

Studies are not directly comparable or of equal value. When making decisions based on this evidence, you should consider factors such as study size, study design, reported metrics and relevance of the study to your situation, rather than simply counting the number of studies that support a particular interpretation.

Supporting evidence from individual studies

A replicated, controlled study in 2006–2009 of channelized agricultural streams in Ohio, USA (Smiley, King & Fausey 2011) found that planting buffer strips along streams had no significant effect on amphibian communities. There was no significant difference in species richness, diversity, abundance or ratio of adult frogs to tadpoles between sites with and without buffer strips. Amphibians were monitored in three streams with planted non-woody buffer strips (<15 m) and three without. Two 125 m long sections were established along each stream (average 743 m apart). Six permanent transects (25 m apart) were sampled along each section in spring, summer and autumn each year.
Study and other actions tested
Referenced paper
Smiley P.C., King K.W. & Fausey N.R. (2011) Influence of herbaceous riparian buffers on physical habitat, water chemistry, and stream communities within channelized agricultural headwater streams. Ecological Engineering, 37, 1314-1323.

Please cite as:

Smith, R.K., Meredith, H. & Sutherland, W.J. (2020) Amphibian Conservation. Pages 9-64 in: W.J. Sutherland, L.V. Dicks, S.O. Petrovan & R.K. Smith (eds) What Works in Conservation 2020. Open Book Publishers, Cambridge, UK.

Where has this evidence come from?

List of journals searched by synopsis

All the journals searched for all synopses

This Action forms part of the Action Synopsis:

Amphibian Conservation

Related Actions

Actions	Effectiveness	Studies	Category
Reduce pesticide, herbicide or fertilizer use Action Link	Unknown effectiveness (limited evidence)	1	Synopsis Link
Prevent pollution from agricultural lands or sewage treatment facilities entering watercourses Action Link	No evidence found (no assessment)	0	Synopsis Link
Plant riparian buffer strips Action Link	Unknown effectiveness (limited evidence)	1	Synopsis Link