Explore how different animals live in or visit a pond, and learn how aquatic plants help keep the water clean and provide oxygen for fish in a simple and clear way for 12-year-olds.
A pond is a wonderful place where many living things—both animals and plants—live and interact with each other. Let's break down what happens in a pond ecosystem in an easy way:
Some animals actually live in the pond all the time because it’s their home. For example, fish, frogs, and certain insects spend most of their life in or around the water. They find everything they need there, like food and shelter.
Other animals, like birds or mammals, may visit the pond from time to time to find food or water, but they don’t live there permanently. They depend on the pond as a feeding ground.
Inside the pond, there are many kinds of plants that grow in or on the water—called aquatic plants. These plants are very important because they help keep the water clean. How? Well, they take in harmful substances and produce oxygen through a process called photosynthesis. The oxygen they create is essential for fish and other animals to breathe underwater.
All these parts—the animals and plants—work together to keep the pond healthy. If one part is missing, like if there were no plants to create oxygen, the fish and other animals might not survive. So, ponds are great examples of how living things depend on each other in nature!