RIVER
ECOSYSTEM
GROUP VI
BAGAC, EINA ALLIAH G.
LOPEZ, FAYE LOUISE T.
RAMOS TIM JANDYL M.
RIVER ECOSYSTEM
River ecosystem is a dynamic and
interconnected natural environment
characterized by flowing freshwater, which
supports a diverse array of living organisms
and interacts with the surroundings
landscape.
Characteristics of River Ecosystem
flowing water that is mostly unidirectional.
a state of continuous physical change.
many different (and changing) microhabitats.
variability in the flow rates of water.
plants and animals that have adapted to live within
water flow conditions.
Biotic and Abiotic Components
Biotic Abiotic
Biotic components (living) The Abiotic components (non-
living components of an ecosystem living)
are called the biotic components. Water flow.
Streams have numerous types of
biotic organisms that live in them,
Light.
including bacteria, primary Temperature.
producers, insects and other Chemistry.
invertebrates, as well as fish and
Substrate.
other vertebrates.
Producers and Consumers
Producers are organisms that produce their own food
through photosynthesis, forming the base of the food
web.
1. Algae :
Phytoplankton : Microscopic algae that float in the water
column and are primary producers in many ecosystem.
Periphyton : Algae that grow on submerged surfaces such
as rocks, plants and other objects.
2. Aquatic plants:
Submerged plants: Grow entirely underwater.
Floating plants: Float on the water surface.
Emerged plants: Rooted in the water but grow above the
surface.
Consumers are organisms that cannot produce their own food and
must eat other organisms to obtain energy.
1. Primary Consumers:
Herbivores: Feed directly on producers. Examples include:
Zooplankton: Microscopic animals that feed on phytoplankton.
Herbivorous Fish: Such as some species of minnows and carp. Aquatic
Insects: Such as mayfly and caddisfly larvae that graze on algae.
2. Secondary Consumers:
Carnivores and Omnivores: Feed on primary consumers. Examples
include: Insectivorous Fish: Such as trout and bass that eat insects and
smaller fish. Amphibians: Such as frogs and salamanders that eat insects
and small invertebrates. Aquatic Insects: Such as dragonfly nymphs and
water beetles that prey on other insects.
3. Tertiary Consumers:
Top Predators: Feed on secondary consumers. Examples include: Larger
Fish: Such as pike and catfish that eat other fish and amphibians. Birds:
Such as herons, kingfishers, and ospreys that feed on fish and
amphibians. Mammals: Such as otters and raccoons that hunt fish,
amphibians, and invertebrates.
FOOD CHAIN
Phytoplankton: These are the primary
producers, using sunlight to produce
energy through photosynthesis.
Zooplankton: These small animals feed
on phytoplankton.
Small fish: These fish consume
zooplankton.
Mackerel: Larger fish that eat the
smaller fish.
Mahi Mahi:
Predatory fish that feed on mackerel.
Large shark: The top predator in this
food chain, preying on mahi mahi. The
red arrows indicate the direction of
energy flow, from producers
(phytoplankton) to top predators
(large shark). Each step in the food
chain represents a transfer of energy
from one organism to another.
FOOD WEB
FOOD WEB
Primary Producers: These include phytoplankton, algae, and aquatic
plants (macrophytes). They produce energy through photosynthesis.
Primary Consumers: These organisms feed on primary producers. They
include zooplankton, small invertebrates, and herbivorous fish like
young chironomids and filter feeders.
Secondary Consumers: These feed on primary consumers and include
small fish such as dace, bleak, and bream, as well as larger invertebrates.
Tertiary Consumers: These are larger predators that feed on secondary
consumers. Examples include larger fish such as perch, roach, and
gudgeon, as well as invertebrate predators.
Decomposers: These organisms, including bacteria and fungi, break
down dead organic matter (detritus), recycling nutrients back into the
ecosystem. The food web in a river ecosystem illustrates the complex
interactions and energy transfer between different trophic levels,
highlighting the interconnectedness and balance of the ecosystem.
QUIZ!
1. Living components of an ecosystem?
2. Non –living components of an ecosystem?
3. Organisms that produce their own food through photosynthesis, forming the
base of the food web?
4. Organisms that cannot produce their own food and must cost other organisms
to obtain energy?
5. It is a dynamic and interconnected natural environment characterized by
flowing freshwater?
6-7. Give at least two characteristics of river ecosystem?
8. It is a top predators feed on the second consumers?
9. It is a type of algae that grow on submerged surfaces such as rocks, plants, and
other objects?
10. It is microscopic algae that float in the water column and are primary
producers in many ecosystem.
Answers!
1. Biotic
2. Abiotic
3. Producers
4. Consumers
5. River Ecosystem
6-7. -flowing water that is mostly unidirectional.
-a state of continuous physical change.
-many different (and changing) microhabitats.
-variability in the flow rates of water.
-plants and animals that have adapted to live within water flow
conditions.
8. Tertiary Consumers
9. Periphyton
10. Phytoplankton