Rivers

Question 1

River Continuum Concept (RCC)

Answer 1

Stream order

1st through 12th ; 1st orders meet, for 2nd order stream; 2nd orders meet, form 3rd order streams,etc.

1st order streams can go directly into an existing 3rd order stream

Question 2

Streams vs Rivers

Answer 2

Streams have steep gradients, rivers are wider, usually have gentler gradients

Question 3

Stream order can be related to biological processes/communities

Answer 3

Starts as allochthonous then becomes autochthonous
Lower order streams are allochthonous
Think about it like it needs a jump start

Question 4

CPOM

Answer 4

Coarse particulate, organic matter

From broken twigs and leaves

Question 5

DOM

Answer 5

dissolved organic matter
From algae
Gets eaten by bacteria in a Microbial loop

Question 6

FPOM

Answer 6

fine particulate organic matter
Made from CPOM
Newest tyep

Question 7

Feeding groups

Answer 7

Shredders
Crayfish and insect larvae
Convert CPOM to FPOM
Benthic collectors
Consume DOM and FPOM
Scrapers and grazers
scrape periphyton (diatoms, organic microlayer)
Predators
consume insect larvae, smaller fish and fish larvae,
some also consume macrophytes (omnivorous)

Question 8

Origen of Rivers

Answer 8

overland flow
shallow subsurface storm flow
groundwater

Question 9

Current speed (- cm sec)

Answer 9

Current speed drops rapidly as go toward the bottom of a stream -drag resistance, sides of stream also affected by drag.

Determines sediment size