Riparian ecosystems support biodiversity, provide ecosystem functions and deliver various ecosystem services vital for humans (Naiman et al. 2005). Riparian vegetation is particularly important in driving the composition, structure, and function of terrestrial and aquatic systems at a local and landscape scale - influencing fish, insects, birds, mammals and soil microbiota (Capon et al. 2016). Also providing many critical services to the broader landscape such as nutrient cycling, providing fresh water and carbon sequestration. In addition, riparian vegetation dynamics are often sensitive to changed hydrological regimes, with river regulation often resulting in ecological shifts (Jansson et al., 2000).