Activity: Pond Exploration

Concepts:

A pond is (a) a body of standing water and (b) shallow enough that rooted water plants with leaves floating on the surface can grow throughout the pond (usually not more than 12-15 feet deep).

There are four life zones in a pond. Each contains a different set of plants and animals:
(a) The surface film - occupied by plants and animals that walk, swim or float on the surface or hang underneath it.
(b) The open water - occupied by free swimming animals (like fish) and tiny free-floating plants and animals (plankton).
(c) The pond bottom - a calm sandy or mucky habitat occupied by animals that burrow into it.
(d) The sides, tops and undersides of plants, stumps, branches and rocks constitute a zone that supports a unique population of crawling animals.

What sorts of plants and animals are found in a pond? (a) Aquatic - Plants that grow principally on or below the surface of the water for most of the growing season. e.g. duckweeds, water lillies or algae.
(b) Emergents - Bottom rooted plants with stems and leaves that project above the surface. e.g. cattails and pickrel weed.
(c) Scrub-Shrub - Plants include true scrubs, young trees and trees or shrubs that are small (less than 20 feet tall) or stunted because of environmental conditions. e.g. alders, bog laurel and pond pine.

Look for these types of animals or evidence of animals:
(a) Invertebrates - e.g. insects, crustaceans, molluscs
(b) Fish - e.g. sunfish, bass, minnows
(c) Amphibians - e.g. salamanders, newts, frogs
(d) Reptiles - e.g. turtles, snakes
(e) Birds - e.g. ducks, herons, geese
(f) Mammals - e.g. muskrats, beavers, bats

Objectives:
1) Students will use simple equipment to help them make observations on a visit to a pond.
2) Students will use Activity Sheets to record these observations.
3) Students will evaluate a wetland in terms of its wetland functions and provide evidence for their responses.

Materials:

  • notebook or clipboard with paper and pencil for each student
  • plankton net
  • dip nets (one for every 2-3 students)
  • thermometer
  • bottom sampler
  • secchi disk and line
  • boat or dock
  • eyedropper and soft forceps to pick up small animals
  • assorted small containers - transparent plastic are ideal
  • white enamel pan or plastic basin for displaying specimens
  • hand lens (10X is powerful enough)

    Subjects:
    Science

    Preparation and Procedure:

    Make sure students are prepared to "dig in" with this activity. They will need comfortable clothing, protective foot wear and outer clothing and an old towel to keep their hands clean. This lesson is designed to encourage the exploration and investigation of a wetland. Ponds are ideal because of their small size and accessibility. The activities are also suitable for a lake, marsh, bog or swamp.

    Visit a pond, marsh, swamp or lake.

    Characterize the conditions, plants and animals that you find in each of the following zones using student worksheet 1. Have students use the thermometer, plankton net, hand lenses, bottom sampler, secchi disk, dip nets and other materials to help them explore.

  • 6 feet from the shore on shore
  • at the water's edge
  • at the water's surface
  • in the open water
  • on the pond bottom
    Don't forget to look on the sides, tops and undersides of plants, stumps, branches and rocks.

    After the students have had a chance to muck about, have them evaluate the wetlands in terms of its ability to fulfill any of the following values of wetlands. Use student worksheet 2.

  • serving wildlife by providing food, homes or nurseries
  • preserving water quality
  • storing flood waters
  • serving people by providing valuable aesthetic, educational and recreational assets
    Then have students provide evidence of the values they believe this wetland fulfills. Questions are provided to guide the students' thinking. Evidence of the ability of wetlands to reduce sedimentation of adjacent water bodies might be demonstrated by digging up and observing the network of roots and organic matter present in the soil. Evidence that wildlife use wetlands might be present in the form of an animal home, shell, bone, scat, feather or live specimen.
     
     

    Pond Exploration - Student Worksheet 1

    Use your senses and equipment to explore the following places in and near the pond you are visiting. Write descriptions of the abiotic (non-living) and biotic (living) features you find. Abiotic features include soils, water and human-made objects. Biotic features include algae, trees, insects and birds. Make some guesses as to why things are the way they are in that particular environment.
      ABIOTIC FEATURES BIOTIC FEATURES
    on shore, 6 feet from the water's edge
     
     
     
     
          		   
    at the water's edge
     
     
     
     
          		   
    at the water's surface
     
     
     
     
          		   
    in open water
     
     
     
     
          		   
    on the pond bottom
     
     
     
     
          		   
     

    Pond Exploration - Student Worksheet 2

    Give this wetland a score on how well it performs the four following jobs that wetlands do. Use the questions to help you figure out how this wetland performs those functions. Use your observation skills and a topo map of the area if you have one.

    Circle the word HIGH, MEDIUM or LOW to reflect the degree to which you think this wetland fulfills each function.

    1. Serving Wildlife by Providing Food, Homes or Nurseries

  • Does the upland area surrounding the wetland contain mostly natural wildlife habitat?
  • Are there undisturbed travel routes for animals to get to other nearby wetlands?
  • What kind of vegetation is present in the greatest amount? What does that indicate to you about animals that will be present?
  • Are there any threatened or endangered species using this wetland?
     
    HIGH, MEDIUM or LOW

    What evidence are you using to support your answer?
     

    2. Preserving Water Quality

  • Is there a stream, lake or drinking water reservoir downstream that this wetland can protect by removing or trapping pollutants?
  • Are there many potential sources of soil erosion in this watershed?
  • Is the vegetation surrounding the wetland intact or has it been disturbed?
  • Is this wetland a buffer between land and open water?
  • Are there drinking water wells within one half mile of this wetland?
     
    HIGH, MEDIUM or LOW

    What evidence are you using to support your answer?
     

    3. Storing Flood Waters

    Use a map and grid to get the figures for this equation:

  • Wetland Size = __________ acres
  • Watershed Size = __________ acres
  • Width of Wetland Outlet = __________ feet

    Now make the following calculations:

  • Ratio "A" = watershed size/wetland size = __________
  • Ratio "B" = wetland size/width of wetland outlet = __________

    Flood Storage Ratings:

      High Medium Low
    Ratio "A" < 10 10 - 100 > 100
    Ratio "B" > 16 4 -16 < 4

    Overall Rating: HIGH, MEDIUM or LOW

    4. Serving People by Providing Valuable Aesthetic, Educational and Recreational Assets

  • Is this wetland unusual for the local region because of its type, size or presence?
  • Does the wetland provide a view over open water or vegetation?
  • What are the sources of noise at the site?
  • Is there much litter at the site?
  • Is the area safe to visit?
  • Is it accessible for people who wish to visit?
  • Is the area on public land or private land with cooperative landowners?
  • Is the water quality of the wetland a problem?
  • Is it possible to canoe, fish or hike there?
     
    HIGH, MEDIUM or LOW

    What evidence are using to support your answers?