Year DO pH OLC Pond Water

A pond is an ecosystem composed of biotic and abiotic factors. Examples of abiotic factors in this ecosystem are water, sunlight, minerals, gases, dirt, and rock. Biotic factors include procarotes (bacteria), unicellular eucaryotes such as euglena, diatoms, and paramecia, and multicellular eucaryotes such as algae, plants, fish, frogs, etc.

Biodiversity refers to different types of life forms found in an ecosystem. All living organisms found in a specifice area are dependent on each other for ‘food’ or energy except for plants which use the Sun’s energy to produce their own food. This energy ‘flows’ through a food chain.

The ‘health’ of the water directly affects the health of the organisms that live in the water. Testing the amount of dissolve oxygen in the pond water and the pH of the water can help determine the ability of the water to sustain life.

Dissolved oxygen is the amount of oxygen in the water. All living things need oxygen for respiration. If the amount of dissolved oxygen is out of the normal range, it can negatively effect the organisms that live in the water.

pH refers to concentration of hydrogen ions in the water. pH is measured with a scale. 7 on the scale is neutral. A number higher than 7 is indicates a ‘base’ and a number lower than 7 indicates an ‘acid’. Once again if the pH is out of the normal range, the biotic factors that live in the pond water can be adversely affected and even die.

Human have an impact on ecosystems. The impact can be positive or negative depending on their actions. Monitoring pH and dissolved oxygen can help insure that water is able to sustain life. (positive impact) Pollution, fertilizer run-off, and not cleaning up are ways that humans have a negative impact on an ecosystem.