Weegy: Rocks, air, soil, gravel, snow (More)

Weegy: A pond is characterized as being a small body of water that is shallow enough for sunlight to reach the bottom, permitting the growth of rooted plants at its deepest point. [ [ Seldom do ponds reach more that 3.6-4.5 meters (12 to 15 feet) in depth. An undisturbed pond will age. Even though at first a pond will appear to be lifeless, a new pond will acquire both plants and animals by the different forms of inflowing water. Large deposits of rootless stoneworts and hornworts become established; microscopic plankton form drifting masses; water boatmen and winged whirligig beetles alight on the surface to swim. Plants colonize all of the zones and provide food and shelter to a wide variety of animals. Frogs begin to visit and lay eggs. Ponds are considered to be part of the freshwater habitat-which are divided into flowing water and standing water. The flowing water habitat is divided into rapid and slow streams. The standing water habitat are divided into lakes, ponds, and swamps. Ponds can be even further divided into those with bare bottoms and those whose bottom contain vegetation. Ponds are noted for their abundant and rich varieties of plant and animal life, which all are maintained in a delicate ecological balance. Life forms range from microscopic bacteria to insects, fish, small animals, and birds. As ponds age, the number of species living in it steadily increases until, finally, the growth of larger plants, algae, and the accumulation of wastes convert it into a marsh or cause it to dry up. This process is known as ecological succession. The study of the relationships between living things and their environment is known as ecology. However, the curriculum, ?The Ecological Relationships That Exist Within A Pond Community? actually covers a smaller division of ecology called limnology?the science that deals with the interrelationships of plant and animals in aquatic environments. ] ] (More)