As transitional zones between terrestrial and aquatic environments, riparian buffer zones play an important ecological role in preventing and regulating nitrogen (N) pollution in water bodies. Based on domestic and international research results, core issues, such as the N migration path, N removal method, proportion of the riverbank buffer zone, and the influence mechanisms of various factors in the riverbank buffer zone, were summarized. The results were as follows:
the N migration process of the riparian buffer zone involved four pathways, including surface water runoff, downpour, and river-groundwater mutual transport. N could be consumed and converted by chemical or physical mechanisms during its transport in the riparian buffer zone, and the consumption rate exceeded 90%. The riparian buffer zone played an important role in preventing water pollution.
The contribution rates of denitrification and plant uptake to N removal were 5.0%~82.0% and 0.6%~59.4%, respectively. The anaerobic ammonia oxidation process was an important method for removing N from the riverbank buffer zone.
The efficiency of N removal from riverbank buffer zones could be improved by increasing the width of the riverbank buffer zone and improving the vegetation cover. A research framework for the N removal from the riverbank buffer zone has been established; however, further in-depth analysis and exploration studies based on methods and multi-factor coupling relationships are still required in the future.