Floodplain rivers and human affairs

9 important questions on Floodplain rivers and human affairs

What is a headwater river? And what does it do?

A fastflowing river, the beginning of a river upstream, it caries rocks of various sizes and transports them further downstream. Lighter particles are transported over a greater distance. But little bits of sediment get disposited which helps the submerged plants. Because the river increases in width further downstream and the bottom stays shallow, more submerged plants can grow. When the river deepens less light reaches the bottom and more silt from the erosive parts increases turbidity. No submerging plants are found here, only emergent plants.

What are the four gradual changes in a river (erosive river to depositional river)

Depth increases: submerged plants dissappear due to turbidity
at the edges swamps are created: deposited sediment
River becomes larger: water is retained which leads to an increase in plankton community (first zooplankton then phytoplankton) --> submerged plants recolonize the edges
Sediments create floodplains during floods

Why do the roots of submerged plants play no role in the uptake of nutrients?

Because submerged plants are often found in nutrient-rich waters so they hardly play a role
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What are the disadvantages of submerged plants?

De-oxygenation of roots in sediment
low diffusion rates of gases in water
a lot of shadow underwater (less light available)
turbulent waters

What do submerged plants need?

They need photosynthesis, 3-13% light required, CO2 necessary for photosynthesis but very limiting in the area they live in. Higher pH waters bicarbonate is used and changed into CO2 to increase photosynthesis.

What role can submerged- and emergent plants play in the river ecosystem?

Shelter, spawning, microhabitats
the plants catch organic matter like leaves that fell in
take up nitrate from environment, and take care of bacteria in the biofilm

What is the difference between swamps, marshes and bogs

Swamps have a lot of trees present on the riverbank. It is a transition zone between land and water.
A marsh almost has no woody plants and contains mostly grasses or rushes. (veel russen en cypergrassen te vinden)
A bog is mostly found in colder regions. They occur when the groundwater is acidic and low in nutrients. They accumulate peat as a deposit, often mosses are found here.

How is it possible that swamps are mostly anaerobic?

Slow diffusion of oxygen
huge production (uses a lot of oxygen)
huge bacterial and animal respiration

What are some benefits of floodplains?

Provision of fish, timber and peat
regulates water and improves water quality
protects us from flooding hazards

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