If a pond were polluted with detergent, how might this affect surface dwelling creatures such as pond-skaters?

Answer 1

It would reduce the surface tension (if added in a great enough quantity) and the little guys would have to learn how to swim (assuming the exposure to the detergent itself would not kill them).

Answer 2

Detergents are surface active agents, also called surfactants. They affect the surface tension of water in which they are dissolved, and could (in theory) make it more difficult or impossible for surface dwelling creatures to stay on the water surface or move on the the water's surface.

However, as you may know from vast experience with washing dirty dishes or chothes, it takes a lot of detergent to make water really slippery. The volume of a pond, lake, or stream is often rather large, and the quantity of detergent that would be required to produce much reduction in surface tension seems rather large. In my many years of doing aquatic ecology, I have never heard of or seen documented an adverse effect to surface-dwelling organisms due to surfactants. The greater concerns have been eutrophication (phosphorous enrichment) and toxicity of detergent compounds such as nonephenol and its ethoxylates.

My skepticism aside, this would be an ideal question on which to do an experiment or science project.