River Ecosystem - g1 mains - paper 4

Rivers are freshwater lotic ecosystems. Rivers are quite large in terms of their size, speed of flowing water, amount of water, 0₂ quantity and physical and chemical conditions. Their biotic and abiotic components are as follows:

1.          Biotic components - These include

(i)           Producers - They include phytoplanktons, blue-green algae, green algae, water moss and diatoms.

(ii)           Consumers - The consumers are cephalopteryx, helodes, phalacrocera, etc.

(iii)         Decomposers - Bacteria and fungi are the micro-organisms that feed on the dead organic material.

2.          Abiotic components -These comprise organic substances, inorganic materials and climatic factors of a region.