Riparian vegetation, water flow and river morphology interact with each other. The spatial and temporal
relationships between them were analyzed using field surveys and river classification in the Dajia River, the Wu
River and the Jhoushuei River, in Central Taiwan. A total of 155 surveying reaches are categorized into 8 river types
based on their geomorphic zone, planform and bed materials. The observations from field surveys show that vegetation
that grows close to river channels is mostly at the early stage of succession because it is frequently disturbed by water flow. In contrast, vegetation is more stable in higher areas, such as floodplains or upper terraces. This study established a framework for vegetation succession and their spatial patterns in habitat units. The spatial relationships between vegetation succession stages and river types from mountain area to lowland plains were also constructed.
Key Words: Riparian vegetation, river morphology classification, vegetation succession.