freshwater ecologu

What is the source of a river?

The original point from which a river flows, typically found in highland areas or as a natural spring.

What is the mouth of a river?

The end point of a river where it enters a larger body of water, such as an ocean, sea, or lake.

What does confluence refer to in river terminology?

The point where two or more flowing bodies of water join together.

What is a tributary?

A smaller stream or river that flows into a larger main stem river.

What is a stream channel?

The physical path or depression that contains the water flow, consisting of a bed and banks.

What is a watershed or drainage basin?

The total area of land where all precipitation collects and drains into a common outlet, such as a river or bay.

How does topography affect drainage systems?

The arrangement of natural and artificial physical features dictates the direction and speed of water runoff.

What is the water table?

The upper level of the underground zone of saturation where the soil or rocks are permanently saturated with water.

What is a long river profile?

A longitudinal section of a river from its source to its mouth, showing the change in gradient.

What characterizes the upper course of a river?

The steepest section near the source characterized by V-shaped valleys and high erosion.

What occurs in the middle course of a river?

A section with a gentler gradient where the river begins to meander and discharge increases.

What is the lower course of a river known for?

The flattest section near the mouth where deposition is the dominant process, often featuring wide floodplains.

What is geomorphology?

The scientific study of the origin and evolution of topographic and bathymetric features created by physical, chemical, or biological processes.

What is precipitation in the hydrological cycle?

Any form of water (liquid or solid) falling from the atmosphere to the Earth's surface, such as rain, snow, or sleet.

What does evapotranspiration refer to?

The sum of evaporation from the land surface plus transpiration from plants.

What are impermeable surfaces?

Surfaces that do not allow water to pass through, often leading to higher surface runoff.

What is erosion in relation to rivers?

The process by which the river bed and banks are worn away by the force of water and the load it carries.

What is meant by transportation in fluvial dynamics?

The movement of eroded material (sediment) downstream by the river flow.

What is deposition in the context of rivers?

The process where a river loses energy and drops the material it was carrying.

What does the Hjulstrom-Sundborg Scale analyze?

The relationship between water velocity and the size of particles to determine if a river will erode, transport, or deposit sediment.

What is horizontal sorting in sediment deposition?

Occurs when a river enters a large body of water; larger, heavier sediments drop first near the shore, while smaller particles are carried further out.

What occurs during vertical sorting in sediment layers?

The arrangement of sediments in a single location where larger particles settle at the bottom and smaller ones at the top.

What is a meander?

A winding curve or bend in a river produced by the lateral erosion of the banks.

What is the purpose of a levee?

A natural or artificial embankment built along the edges of a river to prevent overflow onto the floodplain.

What is a braided channel?

A stream consisting of multiple small, shallow channels that divide and recombine around sediment bars.

What is a delta?

A landform created by the deposition of sediment at the mouth of a river as the flow velocity decreases upon entering slower-moving water.

What is discharge (Q) in hydrometry?

The volume of water flowing through a river channel per unit of time, calculated as Q = A \times v (cross-sectional area times velocity).

What does a hydrograph represent?

A graph showing the discharge of a river over time at a specific point.

What is a storm hydrograph?

A graph representing the river's response to a specific rainfall event.

What is the rising limb of a hydrograph?

The portion of the hydrograph showing the increase in discharge as runoff reaches the river.

What is the recession limb in a hydrograph?

The portion where discharge decreases back toward base flow levels.

What is base flow in terms of river discharge?

The portion of streamflow that is sustained by groundwater seepage rather than direct surface runoff.