This paper provides an overview of past, present and future themes for research and management of riparian zones, often relating to papers within this Wetlands Special Feature. Riparian research expanded in the United States around 1980 with themes that recognized (1) damage from excessive livestock, or (2) damage from river damming and diversion, and (3) the beneficial capacity of riparian buffers to intercept and assimilate nutrients and other water contaminants. Research expanded globally in the 1990s, with themes including (4) plant life history requirements and (5) reliance on fluvial geomorphic dynamics that enable riparian rejuvenation. Resource managers recognized that riparian areas provide (6) rich wildlife habitats (7) along with valued ecosystem services, (8) which encouraged conservation and restoration initiatives, (9) including environmental flow regimes. Floodplains are (10) vulnerable to invasive plants and management has included biocontrol such as for Tamarix in the American Southwest. Into the twenty-first century, (11) climate change is advancing, and riparian ecosystems may be especially impacted due to the compound challenges from increasing water demand and declining summer flows. As an emerging opportunity, (12) while reservoirs submerge floodplain vegetation, reservoir deltas may support compensatory riparian wetlands. (13) Studies increasingly utilize remote sensing tools including satellite imagery, LiDAR and unmanned aircraft systems, and (14) the coordination of large data sets invites digital ecology, including artificial intelligence and machine learning. Since riparian zones are centres for human activities, (15) there are opportunities for citizen science, social media and internet applications, which will increasingly democratize riparian research and management.

本文概述了河岸带研究和管理的过去，现在和将来的主题，这些主题通常与该湿地内的论文有关特殊功能。河岸学的研究在美国于1980年左右得到扩展，其主题是（1）牲畜过剩造成的破坏，或（2）河堤坝和改道造成的破坏，以及（3）河岸缓冲带拦截和吸收养分和其他水的有益能力污染物。在1990年代，研究在全球范围内扩展，主题包括（4）植物生命史要求和（5）依赖能够使河岸复兴的河流地貌动力学。资源经理认识到，河岸地区提供（6）丰富的野生动植物栖息地（7）以及有价值的生态系统服务（8）鼓励了保护和恢复计划（9）包括环境流机制。洪泛区（10）易受入侵植物的侵害，其管理已包括生物防治，如Tamarix在美国西南部。进入二十一世纪，（11）气候变化正在推进，由于需水量增加和夏季流量下降的复合挑战，河岸生态系统可能会受到特别影响。作为一个新出现的机会，（12）在水库淹没洪泛区植被的同时，水库三角洲可能支持补偿性河岸湿地。（13）研究越来越多地利用遥感工具，包括卫星图像，LiDAR和无人飞机系统；（14）大数据集的协调引发了包括人工智能和机器学习在内的数字生态学。由于河岸地区是人类活动的中心，（15）公民科学，社交媒体和互联网应用都有机会，这将使河岸研究和管理日益民主化。