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What Organisms Are Found in a Pond Ecosystem?

Ponds are small bodies of standing water that may either be natural or man-made. Many artificial bodies of water are classified as ponds, including koi ponds, water gardens, commercial fish ponds and solar ponds. Another type of pond is a farm pond that is created to provide water for livestock.

  1. What is an Ecosystem?

    • An ecosystem is a term used to describe the complex relationship between animals, plants and microorganisms in an environment and their non-living environment. The study of an ecosystem is an attempt to learn about the organisms and their interaction with their environment. Organisms in an ecosystem are divided into producers, consumers and decomposers. The producers provide food for the consumers and eventually the decomposers. Organisms in an ecosystem are all somehow interlinked and a pond is no exception.

    Producers

    • The primary producers in a pond are the plants. They use energy from the sun to convert carbon dioxide and water to organic compounds through the process of photosynthesis. Plants in ponds include phytoplankton, periphytic algae, submerged plants and floating plants. Phytoplankton is the microscopic algae that floats on top of pond water, often giving it a greenish appearance. They are the main source of dissolved oxygen in ponds. Periphytic algae is minute algae that attaches itself to rocks and other submerged materials, giving it a greenish, slimy appearance. Submerged plants are the plants that grow completely under water, while floating plants are those plants that float on the surface of the water. Emergent plants grow in shallow water with their stems and leaves above the surface of the water. Other types of producers in the pond ecosystem are the shore plants that grow in the wet soil by the edge of the pond. Other examples of organisms in this group are water lilies and water hyacinths.

    Consumers

    • Consumers in the pond ecosystem are divided into zooplankton, invertebrates and vertebrates. Zooplanktons are microscopic animals that cannot be seen without the aid of a microscope. Vertebrates are the bigger animals with backbones, while invertebrates are those animals that lack a backbone. Examples of organisms in this class are fish, ducks, snakes, snails and frogs.

    Decomposers

    • Dead animals, plants and waste from the animals pile up at the bottom of the pond. The decomposers break down this waste into a form that the primary producers can use. These decomposers are mainly microbes like bacteria. These organisms play their own role in the pond ecosystem by releasing carbon monoxide as they break down the decaying material, which the plants can use. In this way, they keep the cycle in the pond ecosystem active.

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