Like any ecosystem, lakes and ponds naturally change over time through succession. As many outside inputs accumulate, changes in water chemistry, sediment makeup, and organism presence occurs. Through proactive and sustainable lake and pond management practices, we can slow the aging of a waterbody and, in turn, help keep it healthy and looking beautiful.
Initially, a lake or pond is created as a depression is formed; a depression can be formed in a number of ways, including the recession of the glaciers, a damming of a river, the impact of an asteroid, or a manmade digging event.
Through rain and runoff events these depressions are eventually filled with water and become a lake or pond. The input of water, nutrients, sediment, plants, and animals all accumulate over time and affect the way the lake or pond functions. Only those well adapted to live in nutrient-poor environments survive. As organisms begin to colonize the waterbody, they reproduce, die, and decompose—causing sediment to settle at the bottom of the pond. The nutrients that make up these organisms are released into the aquatic ecosystem as they decompose, contributing to the total nutrient load of the waterbody.
Mesotrophic waterbodies have moderate nutrient levels. In most mesotrophic ponds, there is enough sediment and nutrients to support a diverse range of organisms. Typically, we begin seeing healthy populations of submersed vegetation and pondweeds, as well as diverse and balanced populations or both microscopic and filamentous algae. These organisms continue to reproduce, die and decompose, further contributing to the total nutrient load in the waterbody.
As nutrient load in the pond increases, growth rates of organisms increase. Increased growth rates of organisms in the pond lead to an increase in biomass, which further leads to an increase in nutrient loading and sediment accumulation.
It is quite common to experience potentially toxic algae blooms in a eutrophic system, as well as other problems such as fish kills. With constant reproduction, and decomposition of the large amount of biomass in a eutrophic system, sediment rapidly accumulates and changes the ecosystem from a lake or pond to a wetland marsh, swamp, bog, or fen.
As the pond fills in, large populations of emergent plants , such as waterlilies and cattails , will begin to grow and encroach on the open water. The newly formed wetland will continue to succeed and eventually become an upland habitat. Excess plant and algae growth as a result of eutrophication can be managed through either treatment or mechanical removal.
Through application, plant and algae growth is limited by treating it before it becomes too large of a problem. With the mechanical removal of plants and algae, excess biomass is physically removed, which will have an even greater effect in slowing the eutrophication process by disposing of the biomass and nutrients outside of the waterbody, rather than allowing it to contribute to the filling in of your waterbody.
Aeration is another tool that can be beneficial in mitigating nutrients in your lake or pond. In geology, aquatic succession is the process in which a glacial lake dries up. Over the lifespan of a glacier it dissolves into a body of water. Aquatic succession is the continuing step of that solid water-turned-lake melting into the ground and further disappearing into oblivion.
Also Know, what is the difference between the two types of succession? Primary succession is the series of community changes which occur on an entirely new habitat which has never been colonized before.
For example, a newly quarried rock face or sand dunes. Secondary succession is the series of community changes which take place on a previously colonized, but disturbed or damaged habitat. In terrestrial ecosystems, succession can occur as either primary or secondary succession. Succession in freshwater ecosystems occurs when sediment gradually fills in the water and changes the aquatic area to a semi- aquatic or a terrestrial environment.
The example of Primary Succession is the newly formed bare rock, desert, ponds , etc. Primary succession is a change in vegetation which occurs on previously unvegetated terrain Barnes et al. Examples of where primary succession may take place include the formation of new islands, on new volcanic rock, and on land formed from glacial retreats. Ecological succession is the process of change in the species structure of an ecological community over time.
It is a phenomenon or process by which an ecological community undergoes more or less orderly and predictable changes following a disturbance or the initial colonization of a new habitat. Stages in aquatic succession include: Phytoplankton stage - phytoplankton, zooplankton, bacteria and algae start a community in a body of water.
Rooted submerged stage - submerged plants grow under water. Floating stage - rooted floating plants grow on the surface, submerged plants begin dying. Examples include areas which have been cleared of existing vegetation such as after tree-felling in a woodland and destructive events such as fires. Examples of Pond Succession Pond Pioneers. Ponds left to their own devices gradually fill in from the periphery.
Submergent Vegetation. Various life forms arrive at the pond and the debris level increases at the bottom. Emergent Plants. Emergent plants begin to grow at the edges of the pond. Marsh, Swamp, Meadow, Forest, Grassland.
Answer Expert Verified. The four stages of pond succession are pond pioneers, submergent vegetation appearing around the pond , decaying matter raising thepond floor and a marsh being created. Ponds are shallow holes where water collects. They are formed by geological events. A hydrosere is a plant succession which occurs in an area of fresh water such as in oxbow lakes and kettle lakes. In time, an area of open freshwater will naturally dry out, ultimately becoming woodland.
During this change, a range of different landtypes such as swamp and marsh will succeed each other. Hydrarch Succession. Hydrarch : Plant succession starting on relatively shallow water, such as ponds and lakes, and culminating in a mature forest. Primary succession occurs following an opening of a pristine habitat, for example, a lava flow, an area left from retreated glacier, or abandoned strip mine. In contrast, secondary succession is a response to a disturbance, for example, forest fire, tsunami, flood, or an abandoned field.
In primary succession , newly exposed or newly formed rock is colonized by living things for the first time. In secondary succession , an area that was previously occupied by living things is disturbed, then re-colonized following the disturbance. Secondary succession is one of the two types ecological succession of a plants life.
As opposed to the first, primary succession , secondary succession is a process started by an event e.
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