How do I know If My Pond is a Healthy Ecosystem?
Video: https://youtu.be/5ERP-Pv_mM8
Healthy pond and wetland ecosystems
Is my pond free of trash?
Describe all the effects of the presence of trash in a pond.
Trash floating at the surface of the pond blocks sunlight and oxygen for aquatic plants, which need sun to survive. Plants use photosynthesis to make their own food and they need sunlight and oxygen to make their food. Also aquatic animals like turtles and fish might mistake trash for food and eat it, which could be toxic to them.
Are there lots of diverse plant communities in my pond?
Describe all the things lots of different plants do for a pond.
Unhealthy ecosystems might have invasive plants which would take over the native plant species’ natural habitat and resources. If only one invasive plant species takes over it would eliminate the diverse elements of other native plants and this could destroy an entire food chain!
Does my pond have some algae, but not too much?
Describe the importance of algae in the pond. What causes too much algae to grow in a pond?
Algae is good because invertebrates (insects and animals that have no backbone) (for example: bees, ants, or worms). Animals and insects feed on algae. The cause of too much algae can be due to farms using phosphorus and nitrogen which can be found in most fertilizers. Once it rains, the water from the farms gets pushed into the pond which builds up algae. The algae is bad because it blocks oxygen and sunlight from getting into the pond.
Are there multiple trophic levels of life in the pond?
What are trophic levels?
A trophic level means more plants = more animals so if there’s tertiary consumers that eat secondary consumers. Then those secondary consumers eat primary consumers. Then primary consumers eat the producers and then when the animals die. The decomposers feed on them.
Give an example of a trophic level in a pond.
Is the pond free of chemicals?
What is the impact of chemicals in a pond?
The impact of chemicals in a pond is that if one creature eats bad chemicals, and other animals eat that animal, then lots of things will get sick or die.
Is the soil around the pond healthy?
How do we know if the soil around the pond is healthy? What do we look for? What are some signs of unhealthy soil?
We can tell if the soil is healthy if there are animals living in the soil, and if it is light brown. We look for soil that smells fresh, and is looking healthy. Signs of unhealthy soil, are if there are no little animals living inside of it, if it does not smell very fresh.
Is Our Pond Healthy?
Is my pond free of trash?
- What trash do you notice?
- Styrofoam foam cups
- Plastic cups
- Plastic bags
- Styrofoam to go box
- Basketball ball
- A pen
What do you think? Is the amount of trash in the pond affecting the health of this pond ecosystem? Tell why you think so.
I think the trash is affecting the pond’s health. It’s not good for the animals. Thankfully there is not a significant amount of trash but if more litter and pollution come into the pond it will be a big issue.
Use the Plant ID App to identify the different kinds of plants you see in and around the pond.
Count how many different kinds of plants you see. Write how many different kinds of plants you estimate there are in and around the pond.
30 to 40
List 5 plants here and tell what they do using the Plant ID App.
Dandelions can act as a potential food source for turtles, and they help the health of the soil. Sweet gum keeps the river bank. Japanese honeysuckle, pollinating plants. Canadian pond weed helps provide oxygen, absorbs nutrients, and it helps maintain water quality. Poke weed attracts and supports wildlife, its berries are eaten by birds, and its leaves and flowers are used by other animals.
What do you think? Are there lots of different kinds of plants in and around this pond?
Yes there are lots of plants.
Does my pond have a good amount of algae or is it too much and it is blocking the sunlight and oxygen from getting to the pond life?
Tell what you think and why. Take a picture to document the amount of algae in the pond.
The whole pond had barely any algae but one side had a lot of algae.
Are there multiple trophic levels in the pond?
Find different animals (vertebrates and invertebrates), insects, plants and decomposers in the pond. Take a photo of each you see or draw them. List each one’s role in the pond (producer, consumer or decomposers and make a complex food web to show how one gives energy to the next). (See example on table)
- Rollie pollies
- Tadpoles
- Birds
- Ants
- Turtles
- Fish
- Frogs
- Geese
- Heron
- Ducks
- Dragonflies
Are there multiple trophic levels in this pond?
Yes. There are multiple plants, consumers, and decomposers that are all connected
Is the soil around the pond healthy?
What is the color of the soil? brown
Are there bugs living in it? Yes, worms, ants, rolly pollie
How does it smell? Good in most areas, bad by the part by the building.
What do you all think? When we do the water tests, will it show that the pond is very healthy, healthy, unhealthy or extremely unhealthy? Explain your thinking using the evidence from your pond research so far.
Ollie – Unhealthy
Sterling – Somewhat healthy
Laurence – Healthy
Me- Healthy
We wonder whether or not the pesticides that they put on the grass near the pond and the amount of trash in the pond will affect the water quality. Also, we wonder what the connection between the sewer and the pond is.
Water Test: Thursday, April 24th
Temperature:
What is it? 24C realpond 22C fakepond
Why is it important?
Record Your Results: What is the temperature of the pond water?
Interpreting Your Results:
Dissolved Oxygen (pg 12-13):
What is it? Aquatic animals need oxygen to survive. High levels of dissolved oxygen support life in ponds best.
Why is it important?
Record Your Results:
Temperature of Water in Celsius: 22 and 24
PPM (Parts per Million) of Dissolved Oxygen: 46 ppm, 48 ppm
Interpreting Results:
91-110 Percent Saturation Rank 4 (Excellent)
71-90 Percent Saturation Rank 3 (Good)
51-70 Percent Saturation Rank 2 (Fair)
Less than 50% Saturation Rank 1 (Poor)
Your Conclusion:
The oxygen level in the pond is poor.
Nitrate (pg 18-19)
What is it? Nitrate is an organic material (dead plants, feces, etc) that all aquatic living things need to survive. An excessive amount of nitrate however, can decrease the amount of oxygen in the water, suffocating anything living in the ecosystem.
Why is it important? Nitrate is a key part in any aquatic ecosystem, providing protein to anything living in the ecosystem.
Record Your Results: 0 ppm
Interpreting Results: Nitrate levels are good.
5 ppm 2 (fair)
20 ppm 1 (poor)
40 ppm 1 (poor)
Ph (Acidity of Water)
How acid or basic water is. Like a lemon is acidic. Pepto Bismol is basic. Pond water shouldn’t be too basic or too acidic. The levels should be 6-8
Why is it important? The animals need a neutral ph in order to live in the pond.
Record Your Results: Our result is 7 or 8.
Interpret Your Results:
4 Rank 1 Poor
5 Rank 1 Poor
6 Rank 3 Good
7 Rank 4 Excellent
8 Rank 3 Good
9 Rank 1 Poor
10 Rank 1 Poor
Your Conclusion: The pond water has a good Ph level for the wildlife in the pond.
Phosphate:
What is it? It’s a nutrient
Why is it important? We need a decent amount of phosphate for food and metabolism
Record Your Results:
Interpret Your Results:
1 ppm 4 Excellent
2 ppm 3 Good
4 ppm 2 Fair
Your Conclusion. Phosphate level good
Monday Tests:
Coliform Test: (Gather sample Today, wait 48 hours for results) pg. 9-10
What is it? Test to see if there is any sewage or other fecal waste in the water.
Why is it important? This kind of waste kills animals and plants.
Test: Positive. There is some sewage or other fecal waste in the pond water.
Turbidity
Tests the murkiness in the water.
If there is too much sediment or debris the oxygen levels will be bad.
Greater 40 but less than 100 is fair.
Final Conclusion: Is this pond healthy or unhealthy? Use the results of your above research to support your conclusion.
Laurence:
Ollie:
Charlotte:
Sterling
Why are ponds important ecosystems?
Why Ponds are Important to the Environment (How you can help) – Pond Informer
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