A pond ecosystem is a freshwater ecosystem on which different living organisms depend for their survival and nutritional needs. Ponds, due to their light penetration, are capable of supporting a diverse range of water plants. Ponds are classified as a lentic ecosystem, which is a body of still water such as a basin marshes, ditches, swamps, and lakes.
Spatterdock, also known as the yellow lily or cow lily is a small flower that grows in the ponds and the marsh.
Tim Ervin
Main characteristics of pond ecosystems:
Pond habitats at different levels: At the pond bottom, there is very little oxygen; hence only decomposers and scavengers live there. Fish dominate and prey in pond mid-water. On the pond surface, there is plenty of light and oxygen. Ducks, tadpoles, midge larvae survive here. At the pond margin, plants provide shelter to small animals and insects.
Biological system: Ponds have both biotic and abiotic components. Biotic components include environmental factors such as temperature, water, and light, inorganic components such as nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and oxygen, organic components such as fats, proteins, carbohydrates, and amino acids. Abiotic components comprise producers, primary, secondary and tertiary consumers, and decomposers.
Pond stratification: There are three zones. The littoral zone is near the shore and has shallow water, which allows easy light penetration. Limnetic zone is open pond water with high light penetration dominated by plankton. The deepest pond region is a profundal zone dominated by heterotrophs and has no light penetration.
Size variation: Pond ecosystems vary in size; it ranges from very small such as rock pools to very large such as lakes.
A yellow-crowned night heron looks for a meal in the ponds.
Tim Ervin
In a very large pond, you might find mammals like water shrews and water voles and birds such as herons, ducks, and kingfishers. Even a small pond will have a populace of amphibians such as newts, toads, frogs but also small fish, and invertebrates. Some species are herbivores like water fleas and snails, while others are carnivores who hunt the herbivores. The water temperature, water cleanliness, oxygen content, and the material at the bottom of the pond influence the kind of life present in a pond.
Plants are in abundance in the ponds.
Tim Ervin
Pond Ecosystem PlantsAquatic plants provide shelter, food, and a healthy environment for fish in ponds. Aquatic plants are vital to maintaining a balanced ecosystem. Forming the food chain base, they produce oxygen in the water and protect invertebrates and small fish. The aquatic plant’s roots prevent soil erosion by holding the soil in place in the Pond.
Types of Aquatic Plants
Algae: Algae is the most common aquatic plant, however, they are generally found in oceans. They are small and have no leaves, roots, or stems. But they are an important basis of the pond food chain.
Submersed plants: Aquatic plants that live underwater and have roots in the soil, such as bladderwort, hydrilla, and pondweed. These plants have narrow and thin leaves.
Floating leaved plants: Aquatic plants floating near or at the water surface either are rooted in the soil like lily pads and duckweed or have floating roots. The floating plant leaves are flat and firm, which helps absorb a lot of sunlight.
Shoreline: Aquatic plants prefer to stay on the shore but can tolerate being moist and flooded seasonally like trees and shrubs.
Emerged plants: Emergent or emerged or emersed aquatic plants have strong roots in the soil, but their larger part stays above the water surface, such as knotweed, cattails, and arrowheads. These plants require constant sunlight.
A lotus flower seed pod and a dragonfly emerge from a Kenilworth pond.
NPS/A Dent
Aquatic Plants Benefits
Improvement of water quality: Some water plants soak up pollutants and heavy metals, which help in improving water quality. Aquatic plants also remove excess nutrients that help prevent contaminants enter the Pond. The shoreline plants absorb nitrogen and phosphorus before algae could use them.
Habitat for wildlife: Aquatic plants provide a layout for fish to hide to protect them from predators. Some construct a nesting site in vegetation. But some fish use plants to catch their prey. Plants also provide shade which helps reduce the amount of sunlight entering the water, thus helping to slow down algae growth.
Stabilized shorelines: Shoreline or emerging plants have large root structures. This helps to reduce wave flow and stabilize the shore. They hold on to the sediments at the pond bottom effectively.
