Aquatic Food Webs In Rivers

River ecosystems support diverse and complex food webs. Here the major insights from river food web ecology are summarized. The scales of study of riverine food webs have increased from a focus on patches to investigations at landscape scales. This increase in scale has brought with it a focus on dispersal and movements of energy both longitudinally and laterally. Links with adjacent ecosystems have profound impacts on river food webs. There are important distinguishing features of riverine ecosystems. Directional flow places constraints on body form which in turn influence food web dynamics. The need to trap and retain carbon drives a unique suite of adaptations in river organisms and creates hot spots of productivity associated with retentive features. River systems are subject to a vast array of anthropogenic influences which can be better understood and managed through adopting a systems approach that includes conceptualization or description of food webs.