Pools, Ponds, and Lakes Answers

Riparian zones occur where the land meets the water. Littoral zones occur in the transition zone between water and dry land. Littoral zones extend until the water depth is approximately 15 feet. Both zones are important for the health of the aquatic environment.

Ponds and lakes are inland bodies of water that can be either natural or manmade. Lakes are typically larger than ponds and are fed by rivers. Stream pools are a part of a river or creek where the movement of water is slower and there is a greater water depth. They have an easily observed current, unlike lakes and ponds.

The littoral zone has a greater biodiversity than the benthic zone because the littoral zone can support plant life. The benthic zone has less light penetration than the littoral zone, so plants cannot thrive in it. The variety of plant life in the littoral zone provides a habitat and food resources for other aquatic animals, which accounts for the greater biodiversity of the littoral zone.

Eutrophication occurs when an excess of nutrients are present in aquatic ecosystems. This excess leads to an increase in phytoplankton growth. When the phytoplankton die, their decomposition causes oxygen in the water to be depleted, which leads to a decrease in aquatic life.

Healthy riparian zones are important to waterfront developers because they increase property values, reduce property loss that occurs as a result of erosion, protect water quality by reducing the amount of pollution runoff that enters the water, and enhance habitats for wildlife.