Concept in Definition ABC

On the banks or meadows of some rivers you can find groves. The fluvial grove is a small forest and for this reason it is also known by the name of understory.

From the point of view of toponymy, some localities of the geography Spanish receive their name for their proximity to a grove (Soto Rucandio in Cantabria, Soto del Real in the Sierra de Madrid or Soto de Luiña in Asturias would be some examples).

The vegetation of the groves

The area linked to the course of the rivers normally forms abundant vegetation: large trees, plants that adapt well to the shade of trees, shrubs, vines and flowers. The lushness of the groves is due to two reasons: the quality soil and the influence of river water on nature. It must be taken into account that the humidity levels in these areas and the shade they generate cause fungi and ferns to develop in these areas and this circumstance turns the understory into a ecosystem of high ecological value.

The environmental value of river forests

Most of the rivers have the ideal conditions so that abundant vegetation can develop in their channels. Understory fluvial habitats have ecological value for several reasons:

1) are essential when determining the course of rivers,

2) the type of natural habitat influences the regulation of the temperature of river water and this circumstance influences activities such as fishing and

3) when riparian forests disappear through the intervention human, the closest inhabited areas can be affected very negatively, since when the understory as a protective barrier river overflows cause flooding with severe consequences.

The undergrowth and leisure

River beds with undergrowth not only have an indisputable ecological value, but are also a good proposal for leisure and recreation. free time. In this sense, in many countries with tradition fluvial greenways have been created from undergrowth. In these areas it is possible to carry out all kinds of recreational activities: hiking, cycling, activities related to the education environmental tourism, adventure tourism or river fishing.

The undergrowths as greenways represent an alternative to traditional sun and beach tourism. For this reason, countries with a high number of rivers (for example, Brazil, France or Canada) are preserving and caring for riverside forests to enhance the ecological tourism.

Photos: Fotolia - Javier Castro / 048363394