Ponds and Lakes are o�en called Len�c Ecosystems. This means that they have s ll or stand-

ing water, not moving water like rivers or streams. All ponds and lakes are open bodies of

fresh water surrounded by land.

A POND has water shallow enough for rooted plants to grow across it. Because a pond is

shallow the water stays warm throughout the day from top to bo�om. It is easier for the sun

to warm shallow water. But the water temperature can drop at night when the sun goes

down.

A LAKE has much deeper water. So even though the sun

may warm the surface and shoreline, the deep water

stays colder throughout the day. Lakes are too wide and

too deep for rooted plants to grow across the surface.

But they do grow on the edge of the shore.

Lake Waters

can be very

deep.

Pond Waters are shallow.

Ponds & Lakes

The Water Cycle

Water enters ponds and lakes through precipita on, runoff from nearby

streams, flooding, or groundwater pushing up through springs.

When the sun shines down and heats the surface of water, the water

starts to evaporate up into the sky where it condenses into clouds.

When those clouds get heavy enough the moisture in the clouds start to

precipitate back down to the earth. Precipita on can be in the form of

rain, sleet, snow, or hail.

Precipita on flowing down over mountains, forests, fields, and even your

houses, schools, and ci es, is called surface runoff.

Some surface water slowly seeps down into the ground and becomes

part of our groundwater.

THE FOOD OR ENERGY CYCLE IN A POND. Green plants convert sun energy

(its heat) into food through a process called photosynthesis. Mussels and

other filter-feeders strain microscopic algae from the water for their food.

Other creatures like snails, insects larvae and tadpoles graze on larger plants.

Those animals become food for crayfish, larger insects, birds, turtles & frogs.

When plants & animals die they sink to the bo�om and decay. That decay

process releases important nutrients into the water that the plants use to

help them grow. It’s a never-ending cycle.

Li-o

ral zo

ne

- are

a clo

sest to

the

sho

re w

he

re a

qu

a

c pla

nts g

row

.

Limn

e/

c zon

e - o

pe

n su

rface

wa

ters o

f the

lake

, aw

ay fro

m th

e sh

ore

.

Pro

fun

da

l zon

e—

de

ep

er w

ate

r the

sun

ligh

t can

no

t rea

ch w

ell so

the

wa

ter is a

lwa

ys

cold

er h

ere

. Be

nth

ic zon

e - b

o�

om

—w

he

re a

lot o

f de

com

po

si o

n ta

kes p

lace

.

Be

nth

ic zon

e

Po

nd

s & La

ke

s ha

ve

ha

bita

t zon

es

Aq

ua

/c p

lan

ts are

pa

rt of a

he

alth

y p

on

d o

r lak

e. T

he

y p

rod

uce

ox

yg

en

,

pro

vid

e fo

od

an

d h

ab

itat fo

r fish

, an

d o

the

r aq

ua

/c cre

atu

res, a

nd

he

lp

stab

ilize th

e sh

ore

line

an

d k

ee

p b

o-

om

sed

ime

nt in

pla

ce.

Plants growing in a pond or lake are separated into 3 categories:

Emergent Plants are rooted in the bo�om of the pond but have leaves & stems

that float on the surface or grow above the surface. Typical emergent plants are

ca�ails and pickerel weed. Birds, mammals, rep les & amphibians find food and

shelter among these taller plants.

Floa/ng Plants are the broad, flat-leafed plants like water lilies and duckweed.

The flat leaves some mes cover the surface of a pond. Aqua c insects like to lay

their eggs on the underside of these floa ng leaves. Many kinds of algae are

floa ng under the leaves or a�ached to the leaves. Small fish may nest under the

leaves as well.

Submersed Plants grow completely underwater un l it is me to have their flow-

ers pollinated. The flowers are pollinated above the surface but the seeds fall back

into the water to grow. Pondweed and water milfoil are submersed plants.

Pickerel Weed

Water Liles

Pondweed

Try to

lea

rn so

me

of th

e o

rga

nism

s tha

t live

in p

on

ds &

lake

s.

Be

lted

Kin

gfi

she

r G

ree

n D

arn

er D

rag

on

fly

Ze

bra

Sw

allo

wta

il

Gre

at B

lue

He

ron

Arro

wro

ot

Larg

em

ou

th B

ass

Cra

yfi

sh

Ye

llow

Pe

rch

Rib

bo

n S

na

ke

Pa

inte

d T

urtle

Ora

ng

esp

o-

ed

Su

nfi

sh

Leo

pa

rd F

rog

Wa

ter B

oa

tma

n

Wo

od

Du

cks

Ca

-a

ils

Ye

llow

Fla

g

Wa

ter M

ilfoil

Po

nd

we

ed

Ye

llow

Wa

ter

Cro

wfo

ot

Osp

rey

Ca

na

da

Ge

ese

Min

k

Mu

skra

t W

ate

r Lilies