river ecosystem

8/4/2019 River Ecosystem

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RIVER ECOSYSTEM

N.Jessy MonicaS.R.Kalaiarasi

V.KarthigaA.Krithika


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WHAT IS A RIVER - A river is any body of water

flowing from gravity from an uplandsource to a large lake or to the sea

-A river has distinct characteristicswhich includes a variety of creatures

and plant life which have symbioticrelationships.

-it originates at a point called itssource and enters a sea or lake at its

mouth

-the directional and rapid flow ofwater in a river produces differentbiomes.


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Unifying Characteristics

Flow is unidirectional.

There is a state of continuous physical change.

There is a high degree of spatial and temporalheterogeneity at all scales (microhabitats).

Variability between lotic systems is quite high.

The biota is specialized to live with flowconditions.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microhabitathttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microhabitat


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River Ecology

The plants and animals that live along the

riverbank are all considered part of the river

environment
http://geoscape.nrcan.gc.ca/h2o/bowen/images/wetlands_e.jpg


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http://geoscape.nrcan.gc.ca/h2o/bowen/images/wetlands_e.jpg


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Food Chain

Scavengers

Cray fish

2nd order consumers

Bullfrogs, Bass

1st order consumers

Tadpoles Producers

Algae, Moss, Plankton


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Primary producers

Algae, consisting ofphytoplankton and periphyton, are the most significant sourcesof primary production in most streams and rivers

Phytoplankton float freely in the water column and thus are unable to maintain

populations in fast flowing streams

In places where flow rates are negligible or absent, periphyton may form a

gelatinous, unanchored floating mat.[4]

Periphyton
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phytoplanktonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Periphytonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/River_ecosystemhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/River_ecosystemhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/River_ecosystemhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Periphytonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phytoplankton


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Living in flowing water can be beneficial to plants and algae because

the current is usually well aerated and it provides a continuous supply

of nutrients

These organisms are limited by flow, light, water chemistry, substrate,

and grazing pressure

Algae and plants are important to lotic systems as sources of energy,

for forming microhabitats that shelter other fauna from predators

and the current, and as a food resource .


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Consumers

Fishes are the best-known inhabitants of

lotic systems.

Some species have adapted to living

only on the system bottom, neverventuring into the open water flow.

Examples:salmon,bullfrogs,cray fish.


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Understanding river systems both physically and ecologically, involves

four conceptual models:

The River continuum concept (RCC): was an attempt to construct asingle framework to describe the function of temperate lotic

ecosystems from the source to the end and relate it to changes in the

biotic community

The River Flood-Pulse Concept:This concept stresses the importance

of the lateral flow of materials in response to the river flood cycle,

and in particular it identifies the importance of floodplains in the

Mekong and other large tropical rivers
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/River_continuum_concepthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/River_continuum_concept


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Nutrient Spiralling Concept: This concept is also referred to as

resource spiralling describes how organic matter in a river

system moves and is processed.

Serial Discontinuity Concept:This concept provides a model

based upon consideration of how disrupting the natural

structure of the river, by separating its naturally occurring

parts, influences river functions.


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Yamuna River:A case study

It Originats from the Yamunotri Glacier at a height

6,387 metres, on the south western slopes of

Banderpooch peaks, in theLower

Himalayas in Uttarakhand.

It travels a total length of 1,376 kilometers .

It crosses several

states, Uttarakhand, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh,

passing by Himachal Pradesh and later Delhi, and

meets several of its tributaries on the way.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yamunotrihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lower_Himalayan_Rangehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lower_Himalayan_Rangehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uttarakhandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uttarakhandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haryanahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uttar_Pradeshhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Himachal_Pradeshhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delhihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delhihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Himachal_Pradeshhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uttar_Pradeshhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haryanahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uttarakhandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uttarakhandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lower_Himalayan_Rangehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lower_Himalayan_Rangehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lower_Himalayan_Rangehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yamunotri


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Problems Faced At Yamuna River

STPs plants built but not used

Where there is sewage, theres no STPsWhere theresSTPs, theres no sewage!

Treated mixed with untreated effluent (legal waste ofrich mixed with illegal waste of poor)

All effluent (treated & untreated) discharged into drain.Leads to river. No improvement in water quality

No longer can the river dilute waste (no assimilativecapacity)


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Polluted Yamuna River

Generates 10-30 mld waste (40 to

135 lpcd water supply);

0.3 to 0.9 per cent of Delhis

waste


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Nile Basin Population

Egypt

22%

Burundi

2%

Eritea

1%

Congo

16%

Ethiopia

20%Uganda

7%

Rwanda2%

Tanzania

10%

Kenya9%

Sudan

11%

Ten Riparian StatesEgyptSudanEthiopia

UgandaRwandaTanzaniaKenyaD.R. CongoEritreaBurundi


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Nile Basin Initiative

Goal: Achieve sustainable socioeconomic development through the

equitable utilization of, and benefit from the common resources

Objectives: Develop water resources in a sustainable and equitable way to ensure

prosperity, security and peace for all its people

Ensure efficient water management and optimal use

Ensure cooperation and joint action between states

Target poverty eradication and promote economic integration

Ensure the program results in a move from planning to action


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There are 36 industries that discharge their pollution sources directly into the Nile, and 41 into

irrigation canals. These types of industries are: chemical, electrical, engineering, fertilizers, food,

metal, mining, oil and soap, pulp and paper, refractory, textile and wood. There are over 90

agricultural drains that discharge into the Nile that also include industrial wastewater.

P bl d d t i


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Problems caused due to river

pollution are: Scarcity of drinking water.

Scarcity of aquatic organisms- fishes, crabs, crocodiles, snakes and

other species which are on extinct.

Scarcity of useful aquatic vegetation- which help in reducing pollution

by absorbing harmful gases.

Spreading of various diseases- Jaundice, cholera, dengue, some of

which cause because of mosquitoes taking birth from rivers.


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T i d t lik i t t bil il


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Toxic products like paints, automobile oil,polishes, and cleaning products should be storedand disposed off properly.

Refrain from throwing litter into streams, lakes,rivers, or seas.

Try using natural fertilizers and pesticides as faras possible, or if not, do not overuse them or

over-water gardens and lawns. educate and inform the population of the world

to what pollution is and how to control andcontain any and all spills.


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Conclusion

river ecosystem

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