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Riverine Food Webs: How Flow Rates Affect Biomass

Topic

  • Ecology
  • Ecosystems
  • Scientific Skills & Literacy
  • Experimental Design

Resource Type

  • Videos
  • Scientists at Work

Level

High School — GeneralHigh School — AP/IBCollege

Duration

00:09:15
Saved By
21 Users
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Description

This video follows ecologist Mary Power, who is studying the Eel River in Northern California to decipher the connection between river flows and biodiversity.

Rivers are dynamic ecosystems that change in space and time, but they also have clear boundaries that make them amenable to study. Power has been studying the Eel River for 25 years to address the question of how the amount of water flowing in the river affects the food chain and the health of the ecosystem overall. Her work has revealed how the presence or absence of a spring flood can shape the organisms that thrive for the rest of the year. This research provides an example of how physical changes in climate may affect ecosystems in the future.

An audio descriptive version of the film is available via our media player.

Key Terms

flood, food chain, river, scientific methodology, scientific process, water

Terms of Use

Please see the Terms of Use for information on how this resource can be used.

Accessibility Level (WCAG compliance)

Video files meet criteria.

Version History

Date Published 05.01.17
Date Updated 05.01.17

NGSS (2013)

HS-LS2.C

AP Biology (2019)

ENE-1, ENE-3, ENE-4, SYI-1, SYI-2, SYI-3

IB Biology (2016)

4.1, 4.2, C.2, C.3

AP Environmental Science (2020)

Topic(s): 1.3, 1.11

IB Environmental Systems and Societies (2017)

2.1

Vision and Change (2009)

CC5

Materials

HD (M4V) 357 MB
HD (WMV) 291 MB
SD (M4V) 79 MB
SD (WMV) 79 MB
Transcript (PDF) 128 KB

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