Riparian: Development of Habitat Units
The quality of a specific area for animal habitat is a vastly complex question. However, attributes such as water quality, food availability, cover and adequate space are definite considerations. In efforts to recognize and measure the impact of human land use activities on an ecosystem, ecosystem functions are simplified so that they are more understandable and quantifiable. The Ohio EPA has developed the Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index (QHEI) to assess the quality of in-stream and river morphology, water quality, substrate conditions and aquatic habitats. Although this is an oversimplification, an index such as the QHEI does identify certain attributes, availability and requirements of the necessary habitat for a given ecosystem.

In another example, Tim O'Connell developed an index of birds for the Atlantic Highlands region of Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia and Virginia. He studied specific songbirds such as the Louisiana water thrush and designed a general terrestrial evaluation and a riparian evaluation indicator, which is complimentary to the QHEI for stream and water quality.

O'Connell's research is particular to the Atlantic Highlands species of riparian-associated birds; however, it would be possible to use O'Connell's work as a prototype for a similar rating tool for evaluating riparian bird habitats in Central Ohio. There are around 86 songbirds associated with the riparian areas in Central Ohio (Dan Rice). Of these, certain species are more sensitive to habitat quality, and these birds' existence in an area can be used to gauge the health of a riparian area. A few of the more sensitive species are Wood Ducks, Belted Kingfishers, Yellow-throated Warblers, Warbling Vireos, and Rough-wing Swallows.

If a healthy and adequate riparian corridor is one in which these sensitive species are present and nesting, existing sites can be compared, and their relative health can be determined. Riparian buffer zones might be assessed and given a score, or a number of units based on their health. This is only a very simple comparison and does not consider the dynamics of the ecosystem, but it does compare one riparian corridor to another providing valuable information for management and planning.
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