Ponds

A pond is a small, enclosed area that holds still, fresh water. Ponds can be thought of as large holes in the ground where water collects. Ponds don’t have moving water like lakes or rivers, and they are naturally formed or manmade. Natural ponds arise from rainwater or from an underwater spring. Since the water level in a pond is shallow, sunlight reaches to the bottom of the pond.

The temperature of the water in a pond is influenced by the outside air temperature.

However, there is little difference between the water temperatures at the top and at the bottom of a pond. In some cold places, ponds get frozen from top to bottom. There is a great amount of intra-day variation in the amount of dissolved oxygen in ponds.

Ponds normally have plants growing in them. The growth of pond plants is helped by the fact that sunlight reaches down to the bottom. While most plants remain within the water level, some have parts sticking out above the surface. Seeds and eggs brought into ponds by wind give rise to plant and animal life in ponds. Commonly found pond animals are frogs, insects, fish, crayfish, birds, and turtles. Natural ponds left unattended get covered with dirt and eventually disappear.

Ponds can be divided into permanent and temporary ponds. Permanent ponds are present year round, while temporary ponds appear during spring when depressions in the ground collect rainwater and melting snow. Temporary ponds, also called vernal ponds, dry up during the summer. Frogs and other amphibians like toads and newts can be commonly found in vernal ponds.

Ponds start disappearing when the plants that exist in and around the ponds die and decompose, leading to soil build up. With this, the ponds become increasingly shallow, and plants on the edge start growing inside the ponds, turning ponds into marshes. When trees start growing in these marshes, they eventually turn into swamps. It’s evident that ponds need constant care to ensure survival.