Botany

What is the structure of Pond ecosystem

Structure of Pond ecosystem

It is a classical example for natural, aquatic, freshwater, lentic type of ecosystem. It helps us to understand the structure and function of an ecosystem. When rain water gathers in a shallow area, gradually over a period of time, different kinds of organisms (microbes, plants, animals) become part of this ecosystem. This pond ecosystem is a self sustaining and self regulatory fresh water ecosystem, which shows a complex interaction between the abiotic and biotic components in it.

Abiotic components

A pond ecosystem consists of dissolved inorganic (CO2, O2, Ca, N, Phosphate) and organic substances (amino acids and humic acid) formed from the dead organic matter. The function of pond ecosystem is regulated by few factors like the amount of light, temperature, pH value of water and other climatic conditions.

Biotic components

They constitute the producers, variety of consumers and decomposers (microorganisms).

a. Producers

A variety of phytoplanktons like Oscillatoria,Anabaena,Chlamydomonas, Pandorina, Eudorina, Volvox and Diatoms. Filamentous algae such as Ulothrix, Spirogyra, Cladophora and Oedogonium; floating plants Azolla, Salvia, Pistia, Wolffia and Eichhornia; submerged plants Potamogeton and Phragmitis; rooted floating plants Nymphaea and Nelumbo; macrophytes like Typha and Ipomoea, constitute the major producers of a pond ecosystem.

b. Consumers

The animals represent the consumers of a pond ecosystem which include zooplanktons like Paramoecium and Daphnia (primary consumers); benthos (bottom living animals) like mollusces and annelids; secondary consumers like water beetles and frogs; and tertiary consumers (carnivores) like duck , crane and some top carnivores which include large fish, hawk ,man, etc.

c. Decomposers

They are also called as microconsumers. T hey help to recycle the nutrients in the ecosystem. These are present in mud water and bottom of the ponds. Example: Bacteria and Fungi. Decomposers perform the process of decomposition in order to enrich the nutrients in the pond ecosystem. T he cycling of nutrients between abiotic and biotic components is evident in the pond ecosystem, making itself self sufficient and self regulating.

Stratification of pond ecosystem

Based on the factors like distance from the shore, penetration of light, depth of water, types of plants and animals, there may be three zones, littoral, limnetic and profundal. The littoral zone, which is closest to the shore with shallow water region, allows easy penetration of light. It is warm and occupied by rooted plant species. The limnetic zone refers the open water of the pond with an effective penetration of light and domination of planktons. The deeper region of a pond below the limnetic zone is called profundal zone with no effective light penetration and predominance of heterotrophs.

The bottom zone of a pond is termed benthic and is occupied by a community of organisms called benthos (usually decomposers).The primary productivity through photosynthesis of littoral and limnetic zone is more due to greater penetration of light than the profundal zone.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *