Pond Vs Lake Difference Between Water Bodies Explained For Kids

Lakes and ponds are freshwater bodies both containing living creatures.They are similar in many aspects like both are inland bodies. While lakes differ in many aspects from ponds as they are huge and deep.When we compare freshwater lakes with ponds the main thing you can visualize is the area. Ponds are generally smaller and less deep. The depth of a pond is lesser as compared to a lake. Also, many ponds can be made in a backyard while you can not say the same for a lake. Any pond larger than an acre will be called a lake. Also, don’t worry you can never over oxygenate a pond as it has an open surface.Ponds are generally shallow bodies of water and sunlight reaches the bottom easily. There is plant life at the bottom that thrives in sunlight. The surface area of a pond is smaller than natural lakes. Water in a pond lies in the photic zone. This causes many plants to grow at the bed of ponds. They can come to the surface when the pond has less water. While in the case of lakes sunlight can’t reach the bottom. Lakes have aphotic zones, thus preventing plants from growing.Also, ponds have fewer and smaller waves. Water throughout the pond has a uniform temperature. While in a lake there can be the deepest point, such that sunlight does not reach the bottom. In this zone, there will be no plant life. The catchment area of dams is considered to be lakes. They are man-made but really deep and too vast to be called a pond.The Dead Sea and Caspian Sea are two very large lakes. They have been called sea as they are very big in size. Winona Lake is the name of a city.If you enjoy this article, why not also read about black hole facts or post oak tree facts here on Kidadl?Pond EcosystemA pond in itself can have a small ecosystem. Though at times the pond can be so small that there is no fish at all. There are only algae in deep areas.Ponds are generally artificial or natural inland bodies of water. This is a fresh body of water with its own ecosystem. The different organisms survive and fulfill their nutritional needs. Ponds are only 12-15 ft (3.7-4.6 m) deep. It is a depth in which the sun’s rays can still reach the bottom. So there is ample growth of rooted plants down there. Biotic components consist of decomposers, producers, consumers. and, abiotic components include organic and inorganic materials. The biotic components comprise a food chain.In a pond ecosystem, there are fish, bacteria, and plants. They maintain a balance and support each other. Ponds do not have a fixed size. Ponds are surrounded by artificial banks or natural banks. Ponds can also have wetlands plants and animals. Rain fills them, rivers do not fill them. Birds can eat fish from the shallow parts when sunlight evaporates the water. Algae too come up to the surface. When the water is too shallow and does not flow it is called a wetland.Lake EcosystemA lake has a complete ecosystem of aquatic life in it. This all is affected by the surrounding climate.Lakes are filled in by streams from close by rivers or rainfall. This body of water has plenty of fish of various sizes. There are biotic as well as abiotic creatures. They are called lentic ecosystems, though a pond and a lake can have similar ecosystems. They are freshwater ecosystems. There are three distinct layers of water.The bottom of lakes do not receive any sunlight, there is no plant life on the land at the bottom of the body of water. Fish can eat algae growing in the dark. Deeper areas have fewer or no plants. Mostly variety of algae can survive. At a deep point in a lake, the depth is not a habitat for fish.Another surprising fact is that the birds can come and fetch fish from the shallow waters where rivers flow in water. At times water from these lakes also goes to the ocean. So the water in a lake is not stagnant. But do not confuse it with a lagoon that has larger water bodies connected to it.Pond Vs. Lake Ecosystem DifferenceLakes and ponds may be similar but they have different ecosystems.The size, depth, surface area all are the physical aspects that differentiate a lake from a pond. You may say that ponds are smaller versions of lakes but the water of ponds is not replenished by rivers while in lakes the water comes and goes. So the fish are healthy and a large variety of fish can thrive. While in a pond there are many plants on the bottom and the sunlight is able to reach the land below.In lake, there is an exchange of water. While in a pond there is a reservoir of water. We can even say that a lake has its own micro-climate. It affects the wetlands and habitats in the close vicinity. A major difference in lake and pond is that a lake can make its own waves. This prevents those plants to grow into the lake.The different layers of water in a lake have an independent temperature, depending on the depth. While pond water has a uniform temperature throughout. The overall area and depth are points of difference in physical appearance. Generally, in most cases, lakes are larger and deeper than ponds.As a result in lakes, the sunlight can’t reach the bottom of the water body. The water body of a pond is shallow and the sun rays can touch the bottom and various plants can flourish there.In lakes, there are aphotic zones. These are large surface areas, as sunlight doesn’t reach the bottom, aquatic plants do not grow there. While in a pond there is scope of many sorts of vegetation. There are plants even on the shores of the water body. There are no waves in ponds so plants can float on the after body all over if not tames properly.Lakes can affect the surrounding climate and environment while the ponds are affected by the surroundings.Pond Vs. Lake As A HabitatSince we know ponds are the mini versions of lakes there can be aquatic life in both bodies of water. But there are higher chances of vegetation in the pond as this water body is shallow. There are different species in ponds and lakes.In larger lakes, you can even see fish as large as dolphins that flow in from the nearby river. While in ponds you will see smaller fish and frogs. Algae are common everywhere. Also, some ponds can be without fish at all as there is standing water and not replenished. In the case of lakes, the water flows in from the river and goes to the ocean. So there is an exchange of water. This also makes it a favorable place for the fish to lay eggs. So fishing is more common in the lakes than in ponds.The special difference you can notice is in the size and variety of fish found in a lake. There are larger fish in lakes as there is plenty of space for the fish to breed and move around. Also, lakes have their own food chain. So you can catch small fish and big fish as you please.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! 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Lakes and ponds are freshwater bodies both containing living creatures.