science project PLEASE HELP!!!?

Question

what are some unique things about pond ecosystems?
and/or
what are some predator interactions

Answer 1

Unique things about pond ecosystems:
1. Shallow ponds may have some light reaching the bottom, so the autotrophs can live in the whole pond. Of course, the autotrophs are more concentrated in the shallower parts around the edges.
2. Ponds experience greater abiotic changes during the days and seasons than lakes, due to the smaller volume of water.

Predator interactions:
1. Frogs eat dragonflies and other water invertebrates.
2. Largemouth bass eat bluegill and minnows.
3. Great blue herons eat frogs.
4. Dragonfly larvae eat small fish and mayfly larvae.

Answer 2

[edit] Freshwater ecosystems
Freshwater ecosystems cover 0.8% of the Earth's surface and contain 0.009% of its total water. They generate nearly 3% of its net primary production.[1] Freshwater ecosystems contain 41% of the world's known fish species.[3]

There are three basic types of freshwater ecosystems:

Lentic: slow-moving water, including pools, ponds, and lakes.
Lotic: rapidly-moving water, for example streams and rivers.
Wetlands: areas where the soil is saturated or inundated for at least part of the time.[4]
Lake ecosystems can be divided into zones: pelagic (open offshore waters); profundal; littoral (nearshore shallow waters); and riparian (the area of land bordering a body of water). Two important subclasses of lakes are ponds, which typically are small lakes that intergrade with wetlands, and water reservoirs. Many lakes, or bays within them, gradually become enriched by nutrients and fill in with organic sediments, a process called eutrophication. Eutrophication is accelerated by human activity within the water catchment area of the lake.[1]

The major zones in river ecosystems are determined by the river bed's gradient or by the velocity of the current. Faster moving turbulent water typically contains greater concentrations of dissolved oxygen, which supports greater biodiversity than the slow moving water of pools. These distinctions forms the basis for the division of rivers into upland and lowland rivers. The food base of streams within riparian forests is mostly derived from the trees, but wider streams and those that lack a canopy derive the majority of their food base from algae. Anadromous fish are also an important source of nutrients. Environmental threats to rivers include loss of water, dams, chemical pollution and introduced species.[1]

Wetlands are dominated by vascular plants that have adapted to saturated soil. Wetlands are the most productive natural ecosystems because of the proximity of water and soil. Due to their productivity, wetlands are often converted into dry land with dikes and drains and used for agricultural purposes. Their closeness to lakes and rivers means that they are often developed for human settlement.[1]


[edit] Pond Ecosystems
This is a specific type of freshwater ecosystem that is largely based on the autotroph algae which provide the base trophic level for all life in the area. The largest predator in a pond ecosystem will normally be a fish and in-between range smaller insects and microorganisms. It may have a scale of organisms from small bacteria to big creatures like water snakes, beetles, water bugs, and turtles.


[edit] Functions of aquatic ecosystems
Aquatic ecosystems perform many important environmental functions. For example, they recycle nutrients, purify water, attenuate floods, recharge ground water and provide habitats for wildlife.[5] Aquatic ecosystems are also used for human recreation, and are very important to the tourism industry, especially in coastal regions.[3]

The health of an aquatic ecosystem is degraded when the ecosystem's ability to absorb a stress has been exceeded. A stress on an aquatic ecosystem can be a result of physical, chemical of biological alterations of the environment. Physical alterations include changes in water temperature, water flow and light availability. Chemical alterations include changes in the loading rates of biostimulatory nutrients, oxygen consuming materials, and toxins. Biological alterations include the introduction of exotic species. Human populations can impose excessive stresses on aquatic ecosystems.[5]