river ecosystem
Flowing water community
A river ecosystem is the community of living organisms—fish, insects, plants, microbes—together with the physical and chemical elements of a river environment.
The term emphasizes interconnection: water flow, sediment, nutrients, and species all influence each other.
Dams dramatically alter river ecosystems by blocking fish migration and changing water temperature.
- water flowMovement of liquid mass
- spring runoffSeasonal meltwater discharge
- sedimentParticles settling in liquid
- fishGilled aquatic vertebrate
- aquatic plantsVegetation growing in water
algae · predation · pollution · dam removal · decomposition · invasive species · watershed · freshwater · oxygen levels · streambed · deforestation · habitat loss · endangered species · beaver dam · food webs · biodiversity · trout · minnow
river ecosystemlake ecosystem
Freshwater community of organisms
pond ecosystem · wetland ecosystem · swamp ecosystem · stagnant pool · oxbow lake
river ecosystemmarine ecosystem
Sea's organisms and environment
saltwater ecosystem · coastal ecosystem · open ocean · estuary · tidal zone
river, rivers, ecology, rivulet, riverbed, ecosystem, ecosystems, riverine, riverbeds