The flowing current
From small beginnings
Many rivers start life as fast-
flowing streams. It is often a
barren beginning, but plants
and animals soon thrive.
Which is the world’s longest river?
The food chain begins
As leaves and dead animals
fall into the waters, bacteria
multiply. This brings food for
aquatic larvae such as the caddisfly.
Mosses often grow on riverside
rocks and trees and provide
shelter for many tiny bugs that
need damp conditions.
From foamy white, cascading
torrents to slow but ever-
moving waters, rivers provide
a rich habitat for a wide
variety of wildlife.
Stop that water!
Beavers sometimes build dams to
create lakes, slowing the flow of
water and so changing their habitat.
They also create lodges to live in.
Caddisfly larva
Fallen trees can provide
pathways for animals
and insects to cross a
fast-flowing stream.
Ecosystems and habitats
Caddisfly
Beaver
