Day 4: This is not good

The plan has changed, and I am going to have to stay here for longer than I thought. As I was about to leave the planet, I noticed something about the river that the humans probably had yet to discover: a decrease in the amount of phytoplankton. Though small, this type of plankton is essential for the survival of smaller fish and eels. This is horrible, without the phytoplankton, the smaller fish would lose a crucial food food source and have to prey on other organisms or simply die. Thus the other food sources for smaller fish would begin to decrease. Additionally, this would mean that the carp, sunfish, swans, and ducks would not have food to eat. If they do not have enough food to eat, then there would be a smaller population of the slightly larger fish and the ducks and swans would leave the biome. With a smaller amount of slightly larger fish, the bass, the bald eagle, and the humans would not only wipe out the entire population of such fish, but also starve to death when the fish are gone. Most of the organisms living in the freshwater biome depend on this small phytoplankton, and without it, all other organisms would simply starve to death or be eaten.

Day 3: The Final Day

Today I decided to focus on the evolutionary parts of these animals. Unlike us, the organisms on this planet seem to adapt to their environments and have genetic mutations that can either help or harm the species.

As I have mentioned before, oxygen levels vary along the river. At the colder areas, there is a higher oxygen level in the freshwater. Since fish require the oxygen because they have gills, higher or lower oxygen levels could be hazardous. However, over time, certain fish, such as trout, have adapted to the higher oxygen levels and can now call the colder areas their home. At the lower oxygen levels, especially at the mouth of the river, sediments make the waters murky. In this case, catfish, carp, and other fish have adapted to both the lower oxygen levels and the unclear waters.

Finally, there is symbiosis in the freshwater rivers and streams. Water lilies provide food and shelter for frogs as they float on the surface of the water; however, the water lilies itself do not benefit from the frogs. This is the type of symbiosis called commensalism.

Kraley, Sara. N.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2014. <http://media.mlive.com/chronicle/living_impact/photo/8647413-large.jpg>.

With this it is clear that the freshwater rivers and streams here on this planet are perfect for our species. We should come here to take it before the humans here ruin such a valuable resource. The places marked in blue are the major locations where freshwater in rivers and streams can be found. I am returning back to our home planet, and I hope that you guys can come to an agreement of action before I touch down.

N.d. Freshwater Info. Web. 16 Apr. 2014. <http://freshwaterinfo.weebly.com/uploads/2/0/3/5/20350991/174913.gif?716>.

Citation:

"Abiotic and Biotic Factors - River Education Program (Luquillo LTER)." Abiotic and Biotic Factors. N.p., n.d. Web. . <https://sites.google.com/a/ites.upr.edu/luquillo-lter/rivers-and-streams/abiotic-and-biotic-factors>.

"Freshwater Animal & Plant Adaptations." Wild Tracks. N.p., n.d. Web. . <http://wildtracks.wordpress.com/world-ecosystems/water-ecosystems-freshwater/freshwater-animal-plant-adaptations/>.

"Freshwater Biome." Animal Facts and Information . N.p., n.d. Web. . <http://bioexpedition.com/freshwater-biome/>.

Day 2: Gathering the info

There are a lot of algae, moss, and plants that grow along the river. The freshwater nearby clearly stimulates their growth by supplying water and nutrients. Since the river is usually open to sunlight, these plants and algae can then change the energy from the sun into sources of energy for other organisms.

N.d. Maine Department of Environmental Protection. Web. 16 Apr. 2014. <http://www.maine.gov/dep/water/monitoring/biomonitoring/images/images_current/algaewetlands_pemaquidrvr1.jpg>.

Additionally, there are many consumers at the freshwater rivers and streams. Echinoidea and smaller crustaceans swarm the bottoms of rivers. Fish, if the oxygen level is suitable, such as salmon, trout, bass, and catfish will feed on smaller fish as well as the smaller organisms. Ducks, swans, and eagles above the water also feed on fish smaller than them as well as plants. Finally, bears are major consumers and will feed on the fish in the river as the fish swim by. Here is a picture that can show the organisms as well as the food cycle. The first is in slightly deeper water while the second is in shallower waters.

N.d. Cary Institute. Web. 16 Apr. 2014. <http://www.caryinstitute.org/sites/default/files/public/downloads/curriculum-project/FRESHWATER_CHANNEL_food_web.jpg>.

N.d. Cary Institute. Web. 16 Apr. 2014. <http://www.caryinstitute.org/sites/default/files/public/downloads/curriculum-project/FRESH_WATER_SHALLOWS_food_web.jpg>.

The dirty work, decomposing, is done by the bacteria, fungi, and very small crustaceans. Bacteria will usually break down all organic matter in the water, making it a major decomposer. Fungi will decompose the wood that is around or in the rivers and streams. Finally, the smaller crustaceans will sometimes eat smaller dead organisms as a source of food.

Unfortunately, the dominant organisms, the humans, are polluting the river water and increasing the amount of salt in the water. Most rivers also have water wells and dams to collect the freshwater for their own use. In my opinion, we should be negotiating (attacking) as soon as possible before these foolish monkeys ruin their freshwater.

N.d. Jakarta. Web. 16 Apr. 2014. <http://media.commercialappeal.com/media/img/photos/2011/03/22/APTOPIX_Indonesia_World_Wat_t607.JPG>.

Day 1: I made it

I have landed on this foreign planet and found what we have been looking for: freshwater.

Regato, Pedro. N.d Alto Tajo National Park, Spain. Web.

In these three days, I shall find out all the information I can about this source of water and make sure that it is suitable for our purposes. If it is, then the negotiations (invasions) can begin.

First things first, I will figure out the abiotic and biotic features of this freshwater river. As seen in the picture above, planting any trees or vegetables will be no problem. The soil around the river is constantly fed freshwater, allowing it to be great soil for planting crops and plants. Additionally, some parts of the river can contain clay, silt, and even sand. These are all types of soils that are rich in nutrients and water filled to allow vegetation growth.

N.d. Freshwater. Web. 16 Apr. 2014. <http://www.nhptv.org/natureworks/graphics/marsh1.jpg>.

I was able to find a human running around the area and did a mind link with him to find out what he knows about the area. He seemed like a science guy. Snapped a picture of him after the mind link.

N.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2014. <http://brandonhillphotos.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/BillNye_AnnGIF_500px.gif>.

Apparently, freshwater biomes usually get around 20 to 60 inches of rain per month. This makes sense as one of the ways the rivers and streams get their water is by receiving rain water.

Additionally, the temperature of the river water varies depending on the source of the water and the amount of sunlight the river receives. Typically, the mouth of the river is the colder portion as it usually receives its water directly from melted glaciers. In the summer, the rivers and streams are around 70 degrees Fahrenheit and in the summer it is around 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Sunlight will then warm the water up as the water runs further from the source of water. Because of this, the oxygen levels in the water vary depending on the location; moreover, certain fish can only tolerate so much oxygen so some fish can only be found in certain parts of the river.

N.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2014. <https://8d997245-a-d90f082a-s-sites.googlegroups.com/a/ites.upr.edu/luquillo-lter/rivers-and-streams/abiotic-and-biotic-factors/Sabana%20River%20Abiotic.jpg?attachauth=ANoY7crl-cFnkvBe1dooD9zy_9E6MpTPW0bGUq_jXDqRhmIMnxhqOJDW7S3qIw3EkMmDFCdQYUN15xFlJoAfTUFR7Kt6AqCfPg0aWv3I-tJ0rF4r-3NWjl9hKNerhRRQAclp_RWtVl8RUHyVmo_ai6q2jtX8nzrhBzIO52TJZ0uTQShSLO_8KrAQQJ9cCiVOvFCy649TAKDERJbMms3bNuSgKPzAcFv0fhe9Vs7FwwL9pRgbzBUGFrJfncm_SGgxdcp4XZ4ILKdIB6bMd_H32KJonRvoURzOGjT3JiZWFefk4YiYJQt8DdQ%3D&attredirects=0>.

Now it’s time for the biotic factors at the freshwater river/stream.