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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.
River ecosystems are prime examples of lotic ecosystems. Lotic refers to flowing water, from the Latin lotus, meaning washed. Lotic waters range from springs only a few centimeters wide to major rivers kilometers in width. [16] Much of this article applies to lotic ecosystems in general, including related lotic systems such as streams and springs.
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.
The ecosystem of a river includes the life that lives in its water, on its banks, and in the surrounding land. [19] The width of the channel of a river, its velocity, and how shaded it is by nearby trees. Creatures in a river ecosystem may be divided into many roles based on the River Continuum Concept. "Shredders" are organisms that consume ...
An aquatic ecosystem is an ecosystem found in and around a body of water, in contrast to land-based terrestrial ecosystems. Aquatic ecosystems contain communities of organisms—aquatic life—that are dependent on each other and on their environment. The two main types of aquatic ecosystems are marine ecosystems and freshwater ecosystems. [1]
The Mississippi River's floodplain forests are a vital habitat but many are dying. Here's what to know. What to know about floodplain forests, a struggling ecosystem on the Mississippi River
The River Continuum Concept is based on the idea that a watercourse is an open ecosystem that is in constant interaction with the bank, and moving from source to mouth, constantly changing. [4] Basis for this change in the overall system is due to the gradual change of physical environmental conditions such as the width, depth, water, flow ...
Marine ecosystems are the largest of Earth's aquatic ecosystems and exist in waters ... river water mixes with lake water and creates ... as the definition above ...