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A river is a natural freshwater stream that flows on land or inside caves towards another body of water at a lower elevation, such as an ocean, lake, or another river. A river may run dry before reaching the end of its course if it runs out of water, or only flow during certain seasons.
Physical properties of aquatic ecosystems are determined by a combination of heat, currents, waves and other seasonal distributions of environmental conditions. [13] The morphometry of a body of water depends on the type of feature (such as a lake, river, stream, wetland, estuary etc.) and the structure of the earth surrounding the body of water.
This stream operating together with its environment can be thought of as forming a river ecosystem. River ecosystems are flowing waters that drain the landscape, and include the biotic (living) interactions amongst plants, animals and micro-organisms, as well as abiotic (nonliving) physical and chemical interactions of its many parts.
A turbulent, fast-flowing stretch of a stream or river. Riffle A segment where the flow is shallower and more turbulent. River A large natural stream, which may be a waterway. [34] Run A somewhat smoothly flowing segment of the stream. Spring The point at which a stream emerges from an underground course through unconsolidated sediments or ...
Dendritic drainage: the Yarlung Tsangpo River, Tibet, seen from space: snow cover has melted in the valley system. In geomorphology, drainage systems, also known as river systems, are the patterns formed by the streams, rivers, and lakes in a particular drainage basin. They are governed by the topography of land, whether a particular region is ...
an artificial waterway, usually connected to (and sometimes connecting) existing lakes, rivers, or oceans. Channel: the physical confine of a river, slough or ocean strait consisting of a bed and banks. See also stream bed and strait. Cove: a coastal landform. Earth scientists generally use the term to describe a circular or round inlet with a ...
This stream operating together with its environment can be thought of as forming a river ecosystem. River ecosystems are flowing waters that drain the landscape, and include the biotic (living) interactions amongst plants, animals and micro-organisms, as well as abiotic (nonliving) physical and chemical interactions of its many parts.
In practice, the River Continuum Concept is used today mainly for environmental assessment of rivers. River studies that assess riverine biological communities and have determined the species composition of an area can then be compared with the ideal species composition from the River Continuum Concept. From there, any variations in species ...