Sunlight1

 Sunlight The amount of light a stream or river receives also affects an ecosystem's biodiversity. A stream with more sunlight affects a streams biodiversity by allowing things to live and prosper in its environment. When there is more sunlight hitting the stream then the temperature of the stream is increased. When the temperature is increased then the oxygen in the water is decreased. When the oxygen is decreased then the animals that live in the stream go to the bottom of the stream to get more oxygen. If the animals do not get enough oxygen then they have less energy to do things.

A lack of sunlight can adversely affect organisms within an ecosystem

Plants that live near streams need sunlight just like the rest of the environment, because of photosynthesis.



Streams that have less sunlight tend to have fewer organisms than streams that have good sunlight.

Humans do not affect this factor very often but if we do we build a home near a stream, and that will block sunlight from getting to the stream. Also if we plant trees near the stream that will also affect the stream.