Ponds Pond: a body of water on the ground that is smaller than a lake. Typically, a pond has no surface outflow draining off water and are often spring-fed. Hence, because of the closed environment of ponds, such small bodies of water normally develop self contained eco-systems

Vernal Pond Vernal: of, relating to, or occurring in the spring Vernal pond: appears in spring, dries up in summer, may reappear in fall

Vernal Ponds are bodies of water formed by snowmelt and spring rains, often drying up by midsummer. Most animals that live in vernal ponds stay when the water dries up, burying deep into the soil until the water returns.

Dry vernal pond which dried up in August.

Spring-fed Pond

Manmade Ponds

Life in a Healthy Pond

Dragonfly larva

Green Frog

Caddisfly

Stonefly nymphs

Damage to Ponds Disturbing the pond bottom Invasive plants Fertilizers Pesticides

Dichotomous Key Plant identification using couplets. A couplet is two (or three) descriptions. Choose one, then follow to next couplet.

Dichotomous Key I) Plant with stems 1) Plant stem with no thorns A) Leaves are opposite on stem i) Leaves are entire DOGWOOD ii) Leaves have toothed edges ARROWWOOD iii) Leaves are smooth or lobed JAPANESE HONEYSUCKLE nn B) Leaves are alternated on stem i) Leaves are entire HUCKLEBERRY ii) Leaves have toothed edges a) Seeds are in catkins ALDER b) Seeds are in berries ORIENTAL BITTERSWEET nn 2) Plant stem with thorns B) Leaves are alternate on stem i) Leaves are entire GREENBRIAR ii) Leaves are divided (compound) a) Thorns are straight PRAIRIE ROASE b) Thorns are curved MULTIFLORA ROSE nn

Sand/humus Humus Clay

Box Turtle

Damage to Ponds Fertilizers Pesticides Invasive Plants

Protecting Ponds Avoid Pesticides near ponds Remove invasive plants Remove roots of invasive plants

Plant Removal

Multiflora Rose

Forsythia

Red Mulberry (Morus rubra)

End