5. Conclusion
This evidence confirmed marked differences in riparian zone health
conditions with respect to land-use patterns in the TGDR. Overall, the
Kruskal-Wallis tests illustrated the significant contrast between the
different transects of geographical locations and RHIs (p< 0.05). The results of factor analysis for riparian zone
variables were more complex, and the source of trace indicators harder
to isolate. A combination of multivariate statistical methods
successfully identified the critical riparian health indicators (14 out
of 27) that signify changes in the buffer zones caused by the pressure
indicators (7 out of 13) under the influence of different land uses.
Among the selected riparian health indicators, the data confirmed that
plant cover, erosion, and exotic parameters possessed a high number of
variables. The variables that caused the most disturbance, considered
pressure indicators, were land-use designs, farming systems, and
activities involving pollutants. From a methodological perspective, it
was challenging to determine the effect of pressure indicators on larger
areas in the same manner. The use of two approaches provided the right
solution and proved to be a reliable tool for dealing with this
situation. We found that even under similar conditions, pressure impact
was different in these riparian areas. Generally, the Pearson
correlation showed the highest comparative interaction strength from the
urban transects, whereas the rural–urban transitional transects
displayed the lowest association. The AHC exposed similarities between
rural and rural–urban transitional sites, which confirmed the
substantial dissimilarity of urban locations. These results demonstrate
significant dissimilarities in the riparian zones of different
geographical sites within the TGDR, indicating the requirement for
distinct operational practices in these areas. Our findings are
comprehensive and provide the necessary information for reservoir
administrators to implement functional changes suited to particular
riparian area situations.