Parts of a Stream
The flat land on both sides of the river or stream where water collects to flow downstream
What is the floodplain?
Animals at the bottom of the food web that depend on the leaves, stems, and animals that fall into the stream.
What are shredders?
These burrow to avoid the current.
What are mussels?
A streams best defense against pollution.
What is a riparian zone?
Most rivers begin within the state and empty into the ___________________.
What is the Gulf of Mexico?
The deeper, slower-moving places in the stream channel
Rainfall water flows downhill in tiny trickles and begins to combine and first carve out by erosion.
What is a first order stream?
These have long legs for wading and hunting.
What are water birds?
By allowing excess water to spread out, this reduces the floodwater's speed.
What are flood plains?
This is a natural characteristic of all streams.
What is flooding?
The part of the stream where water collects to flow downstream
What is the channel?
More than 50 species of these inhabit Texas rivers.
What are mussels?
These have an oily coat to keep them dry and warm.
What are river otters?
This only happens when humans decide to build in the flood plains.
What is The Amazon River in Brazil?
The land next to the stream that has plants growing on it
What is the riparian zone?
These appear farther downstream as the channel widens. They feed on algae.
What are grazers?
These have streamlined bodies that allow them to remain stable in currents.
What are Texas shiners?
The high number of species living in a stream
What is high biodiversity?
What are benthic macroinvertebrates?
The shallow, faster flowing places in the stream channel
You can find these in the early order streams and they are a key part of the food web
What are Benthos?
These have flat heads and large pectoral fins that are angled to help them stat on the bottom in swift currents.
What are sculpins?
People who study the animal and plant life in rivers and streams.
Who are stream ecologists?
What is a high order stream?