SWITC Spring Practice Test 2025 – Comprehensive Exam Prep

Riparian buffers play a crucial role in maintaining the health of waterways and surrounding ecosystems. They consist of vegetation along the banks of rivers, streams, and other bodies of water. The primary functions of riparian buffers include stabilizing banks to prevent erosion, enhancing aquatic environments by providing habitat and food sources for wildlife, and reducing sediment inputs into water bodies, which helps to maintain water quality.

The option indicating “increasing water temperature” is correct as it is not a function of riparian buffers. In fact, one of the key benefits of healthy riparian buffers is that they provide shade to waterways, which helps to maintain cooler water temperatures. Increased water temperatures can lead to negative impacts on aquatic life, such as reduced oxygen levels and unfavorable conditions for fish and other organisms. Therefore, rather than increasing temperatures, riparian buffers actually help to mitigate them, ensuring a more stable and suitable environment for aquatic habitats.