Given the question: I read this background article the other day: The major zones in river ecosystems are determined by the river bed's gradient or by the velocity of the current. Faster moving turbulent water typically contains greater concentrations of dissolved oxygen, which supports greater biodiversity than the slow moving water of pools. These distinctions form the basis for the division of rivers into upland and lowland rivers. The food base of streams within riparian forests is mostly derived from the trees, but wider streams and those that lack a canopy derive the majority of their food base from algae. Anadromous fish are also an important source of nutrients. Environmental threats to rivers include loss of water, dams, chemical pollution and introduced species. A dam produces negative effects that continue down the watershed. The most important negative effects are the reduction of spring flooding, which damages wetlands, and the retention of sediment, which leads to loss of deltaic wetlands. I am facing a new situation today: Jill lives out in a peaceful quiet area with hardly any other people around. Next to her home is a calm peaceful river. The river doesn't have an official name that she is aware of, but her family has always called it River Treetop due to the large tree next to it. Also next to her house, there is a roaring river that runs for miles. The river is so loud that it can be hard to hear yourself think sometimes if you are sitting next to it. For this reason, Jill has always referred to the river as River Chaos. Using the knowledge I acquired from the background article, how should I answer correctly the following question regarding my new situation: Is the biodiversity in River Chaos higher or lower than in River Treetop?
The answer is:
higher