Physical and Chemical Features

            Light and temperature are two key physical features of lakes and ponds. Light from the sun is absorbed, scattered, and reflected as it passes through Earth's atmosphere, the water's surface, and the water. The quantity and quality of light reaching the surface of a lake or pond depends on a variety of factors, including time of day, season, latitude, and weather. The quality and quantity of light passing through lake or pond water is affected by properties of the water, including the amount of particulates (such as algae) and the concentration of dissolved compounds. (For example, dissolved organic carbon controls how far ultraviolet wavelengths of light penetrate into the water.)

            Light and wind combine to affect water temperature in lakes and ponds. Most lakes undergo a process called thermal stratification, which creates three distinct zones of water temperature. In summer, the water in the shallowest layer (called the epilimnion) is warm, whereas the water in the deepest layer (called the hypolimnion) is cold. The middle layer, the metalimnion, is a region of rapid temperature change. In winter, the pattern of thermal stratification is reversed such that the epilimnion is colder than the hypolimnion. In many lakes, thermal stratification breaks down each fall and spring when rapidly changing air temperatures and wind cause mixing. However, not all lakes follow this general pattern. Some lakes mix only once a year and others mix continuously.

Habitats and Diversity

            Lakes and ponds are characterized by three main habitats: the pelagic zone, the littoral zone, and the benthic zone. The pelagic zone is the open water area of lakes and ponds. In large lakes, the pelagic zone makes up most of the lake's volume. The littoral zone is the inshore area where light penetrates to the bottom. This zone often contains large, rooted plants called macrophytes. The areas of the lake or pond bottom that are not part of the littoral zone are referred to as the benthic zone. This zone contains fine sediment that is free of plant life because light levels are too low to support plant growth.

               Lakes and ponds typically contain a diversity of organisms that perform different ecological functions. Many of the organisms in lakes and ponds are quite small and can only be seen with a microscope. Plankton are microscopic aquatic organisms, including bacteria, algae, and zooplankton, that have little or no means of locomotion. In addition, there are many larger vertebrate animals that inhabit lakes and ponds, including fish and amphibians. Other organisms that use lakes and ponds for some activities include birds such as ducks, mammals such as beavers, and reptiles such as snakes.

                 Larger lakes can support as many as four or five different trophic levels, or groups of organisms that get energy in the same way. For instance, the major trophic levels in the pelagic zone, or open water areas, are phytoplankton , zooplankton, planktivorous (plankton-eating) fish, and piscivorous (fish-eating) fish. Microbes such as bacteria and protists are also important in lakes and ponds due to their role in decomposition and nutrient recycling. The food web in the pelagic zone is connected to the inshore food web because many mobile organisms from the pelagic zone (especially fish) use the inshore areas for shelter and food.

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Read more: http://www.biologyreference.com/La-Ma/Lakes-and-Ponds.html#ixzz3VDgHeg4D