Stream Ecology

  1. Stream Biota and Adaptations
    1. Primary Producers
      1. Periphyton and Biofilms
        1. Biofilm Structure
          1. Extracellular Polymeric Substances
            1. Microbial Mats
              1. Succession Patterns
              2. Algal Components
                1. Diatoms
                  1. Morphological Diversity
                    1. Ecological Indicators
                      1. Silicon Requirements
                      2. Green Algae
                        1. Filamentous Forms
                          1. Unicellular Forms
                            1. Habitat Preferences
                            2. Blue-green Algae
                              1. Nitrogen Fixation
                                1. Bloom Formation
                                  1. Toxin Production
                                  2. Red Algae
                                    1. Freshwater Species
                                      1. Habitat Requirements
                                    2. Environmental Controls
                                      1. Light Limitation
                                        1. Nutrient Limitation
                                          1. Grazing Pressure
                                            1. Flow Disturbance
                                          2. Macrophytes
                                            1. Bryophytes
                                              1. Mosses
                                                1. Attachment Mechanisms
                                                  1. Water Relations
                                                  2. Liverworts
                                                    1. Morphological Adaptations
                                                  3. Vascular Plants
                                                    1. Emergent Macrophytes
                                                      1. Submerged Macrophytes
                                                        1. Floating-leaved Macrophytes
                                                        2. Growth Forms and Strategies
                                                          1. Rosette Forms
                                                            1. Ribbon-leaved Forms
                                                              1. Dissected-leaved Forms
                                                              2. Ecological Roles
                                                                1. Habitat Structure
                                                                  1. Oxygen Production
                                                                    1. Nutrient Uptake
                                                                  2. Phytoplankton
                                                                    1. Occurrence Patterns
                                                                      1. Large River Systems
                                                                        1. Impounded Reaches
                                                                          1. Slow-flowing Sections
                                                                          2. Community Composition
                                                                            1. Diatoms
                                                                              1. Green Algae
                                                                                1. Cyanobacteria
                                                                                2. Limiting Factors
                                                                                  1. Residence Time
                                                                                    1. Light Availability
                                                                                      1. Turbulence
                                                                                  2. Decomposers and Microorganisms
                                                                                    1. Bacteria
                                                                                      1. Heterotrophic Bacteria
                                                                                        1. Organic Matter Decomposition
                                                                                          1. Nutrient Mineralization
                                                                                          2. Autotrophic Bacteria
                                                                                            1. Chemosynthesis
                                                                                              1. Nitrifying Bacteria
                                                                                              2. Community Structure
                                                                                                1. Attached vs. Free-living
                                                                                                  1. Seasonal Dynamics
                                                                                                    1. Spatial Distribution
                                                                                                  2. Fungi
                                                                                                    1. Aquatic Hyphomycetes
                                                                                                      1. Spore Morphology
                                                                                                        1. Dispersal Mechanisms
                                                                                                          1. Substrate Colonization
                                                                                                          2. Leaf Litter Decomposition
                                                                                                            1. Conditioning Process
                                                                                                              1. Enzyme Production
                                                                                                                1. Succession Patterns
                                                                                                                2. Yeasts and Other Fungi
                                                                                                                  1. Ecological Roles
                                                                                                                    1. Distribution Patterns
                                                                                                                  2. Protozoans
                                                                                                                    1. Flagellates
                                                                                                                      1. Ciliates
                                                                                                                        1. Amoebas
                                                                                                                          1. Ecological Functions
                                                                                                                            1. Bacterial Grazing
                                                                                                                              1. Nutrient Cycling
                                                                                                                          2. Benthic Macroinvertebrates
                                                                                                                            1. Aquatic Insects
                                                                                                                              1. Ephemeroptera
                                                                                                                                1. Life Cycle Characteristics
                                                                                                                                  1. Feeding Strategies
                                                                                                                                    1. Habitat Preferences
                                                                                                                                      1. Emergence Patterns
                                                                                                                                      2. Plecoptera
                                                                                                                                        1. Cold Water Adaptations
                                                                                                                                          1. Predatory Behavior
                                                                                                                                            1. Indicator Value
                                                                                                                                            2. Trichoptera
                                                                                                                                              1. Case Construction
                                                                                                                                                1. Net-spinning Behavior
                                                                                                                                                  1. Feeding Diversity
                                                                                                                                                    1. Pupation Strategies
                                                                                                                                                    2. Diptera
                                                                                                                                                      1. Chironomidae
                                                                                                                                                        1. Life History Diversity
                                                                                                                                                          1. Hemoglobin Adaptations
                                                                                                                                                          2. Simuliidae
                                                                                                                                                            1. Filter Feeding
                                                                                                                                                              1. Current Requirements
                                                                                                                                                              2. Other Dipteran Families
                                                                                                                                                              3. Odonata
                                                                                                                                                                1. Predatory Adaptations
                                                                                                                                                                  1. Territorial Behavior
                                                                                                                                                                    1. Emergence Requirements
                                                                                                                                                                    2. Coleoptera
                                                                                                                                                                      1. Aquatic Adaptations
                                                                                                                                                                        1. Feeding Strategies
                                                                                                                                                                          1. Habitat Diversity
                                                                                                                                                                          2. Hemiptera
                                                                                                                                                                            1. Surface Tension Adaptations
                                                                                                                                                                              1. Predatory Behavior
                                                                                                                                                                            2. Non-insect Arthropods
                                                                                                                                                                              1. Crustacea
                                                                                                                                                                                1. Crayfish
                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Burrowing Behavior
                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Omnivorous Feeding
                                                                                                                                                                                      1. Molting Cycles
                                                                                                                                                                                      2. Amphipods
                                                                                                                                                                                        1. Detritus Processing
                                                                                                                                                                                          1. Habitat Requirements
                                                                                                                                                                                          2. Isopods
                                                                                                                                                                                            1. Leaf Litter Consumption
                                                                                                                                                                                            2. Copepods
                                                                                                                                                                                              1. Planktonic Forms
                                                                                                                                                                                                1. Benthic Forms
                                                                                                                                                                                              2. Arachnida
                                                                                                                                                                                                1. Water Mites
                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Parasitic Life Stages
                                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Predatory Behavior
                                                                                                                                                                                                2. Mollusks
                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Gastropods
                                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Grazing Adaptations
                                                                                                                                                                                                      1. Respiratory Strategies
                                                                                                                                                                                                        1. Shell Morphology
                                                                                                                                                                                                        2. Bivalves
                                                                                                                                                                                                          1. Filter Feeding Mechanisms
                                                                                                                                                                                                            1. Burrowing Adaptations
                                                                                                                                                                                                              1. Life Cycle Complexity
                                                                                                                                                                                                            2. Other Invertebrate Groups
                                                                                                                                                                                                              1. Annelida
                                                                                                                                                                                                                1. Oligochaetes
                                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Sediment Processing
                                                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Pollution Tolerance
                                                                                                                                                                                                                    2. Leeches
                                                                                                                                                                                                                      1. Predatory and Parasitic Forms
                                                                                                                                                                                                                    3. Platyhelminthes
                                                                                                                                                                                                                      1. Turbellarians
                                                                                                                                                                                                                        1. Predatory Behavior
                                                                                                                                                                                                                      2. Nematoda
                                                                                                                                                                                                                        1. Bacterial Feeding
                                                                                                                                                                                                                          1. Fungal Feeding
                                                                                                                                                                                                                          2. Cnidaria
                                                                                                                                                                                                                            1. Freshwater Hydra
                                                                                                                                                                                                                              1. Habitat Requirements
                                                                                                                                                                                                                          3. Vertebrates
                                                                                                                                                                                                                            1. Fish Communities
                                                                                                                                                                                                                              1. Morphological Adaptations
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                1. Body Shape Modifications
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Fusiform Bodies
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Depressed Bodies
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      1. Compressed Bodies
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      2. Fin Modifications
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        1. Enlarged Pectoral Fins
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          1. Reduced Swim Bladders
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          2. Sensory Adaptations
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            1. Lateral Line System
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              1. Barbels and Chemoreception
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            2. Swimming and Positioning
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              1. Station Holding
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                1. Burst Swimming
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Sustained Swimming
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Rheotactic Responses
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    2. Feeding Strategies
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      1. Insectivores
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        1. Surface Feeding
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          1. Benthic Feeding
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            1. Drift Feeding
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            2. Piscivores
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              1. Ambush Predators
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                1. Pursuit Predators
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                2. Omnivores
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Opportunistic Feeding
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  2. Herbivores
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Algae Grazing
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      1. Detritus Feeding
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    2. Reproductive Strategies
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      1. Spawning Migrations
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        1. Anadromous Species
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          1. Catadromous Species
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            1. Potamodromous Species
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            2. Nest Building
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              1. Gravel Nests
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                1. Bubble Nests
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                2. Parental Care
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Mouth Brooding
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Nest Guarding
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                3. Amphibians
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Stream-associated Species
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Salamanders
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      1. Larval Adaptations
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        1. Adult Habitat Use
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        2. Frogs and Toads
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          1. Tadpole Ecology
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            1. Breeding Requirements
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          2. Life History Strategies
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            1. Aquatic Larvae
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              1. Direct Development
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                1. Neoteny
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              2. Reptiles
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                1. Semi-aquatic Species
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Turtles
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Feeding Strategies
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      1. Basking Behavior
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      2. Snakes
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        1. Aquatic Hunting
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          1. Habitat Preferences
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      3. Birds
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        1. Waterbirds
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          1. Piscivorous Species
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            1. Diving Adaptations
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              1. Fishing Strategies
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              2. Insectivorous Species
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                1. Foraging Behavior
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Seasonal Patterns
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                2. Riparian Species
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Nesting Requirements
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Territory Size
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      1. Migration Patterns
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    2. Mammals
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      1. Semi-aquatic Mammals
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        1. Beaver
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          1. Dam Construction
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            1. Ecosystem Engineering
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              1. Population Dynamics
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              2. Otter
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                1. Hunting Strategies
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Territory Requirements
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  2. Muskrat
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Burrowing Behavior
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      1. Vegetation Consumption
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    2. Riparian Mammals
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      1. Bats
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        1. Insect Consumption
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          1. Roosting Requirements
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          2. Small Mammals
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            1. Habitat Use
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              1. Predator-Prey Relationships
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        2. Adaptations to Flowing Water
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          1. Morphological Adaptations
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            1. Body Form Modifications
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              1. Dorsoventral Flattening
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                1. Streamlining
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Flexibility
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  2. Attachment Mechanisms
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Suckers and Adhesive Discs
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      1. Hooks and Claws
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        1. Silk and Cement Production
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          1. Friction Pads
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          2. Respiratory Adaptations
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            1. Gill Modifications
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              1. Plastron Respiration
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                1. Cutaneous Respiration
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              2. Behavioral Adaptations
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                1. Flow Response Behaviors
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Positive Rheotaxis
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Negative Rheotaxis
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      1. Thigmotaxis
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      2. Microhabitat Selection
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        1. Boundary Layer Utilization
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          1. Refugia Seeking
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            1. Substrate Preferences
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            2. Activity Patterns
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              1. Nocturnal Activity
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                1. Flow-dependent Activity
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              2. Physiological Adaptations
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                1. Metabolic Adjustments
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Enhanced Oxygen Uptake
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Efficient Energy Use
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    2. Osmoregulation
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      1. Ion Balance
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        1. Water Balance
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      2. Life History Adaptations
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        1. Reproductive Timing
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          1. Synchronized Emergence
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            1. Flow-dependent Spawning
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            2. Dispersal Strategies
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              1. Active Dispersal
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                1. Passive Dispersal
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Drift Behavior
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  2. Development Strategies
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Rapid Development
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      1. Diapause Mechanisms

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                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Go to top

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                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                5. Ecological Processes and Interactions