Question

The ecosystem of a pond is
(a)Lotic
(b)Lentic
(c)Benthic
(d)Xeric

Answer 1

The ecosystem of the pond comes from a Latin word ‘Lentus’ meaning sluggish or slow or motionless (i.e.,) it comprises water which is still or motionless. This ecosystem comprises organisms situated in still freshwater.

Complete answer:
A lentic ecosystem includes ponds, lakes, and is an ecosystem of still water. A lotic ecosystem is an ecosystem of stream, ocean, and involves freely flowing water. The benthic ecosystem includes the ecosystem present at the bottom of the water bodies such as in the seafloor or lake bottom. The xeric ecosystem is a desert area ecosystem that contains very little water.

Additional Information: -Habitats at the lakes are a good example of lentic habitats. Lentic refers to the water which is stagnant or nearly still. It comes from the Latin ‘lentus’, meaning sluggish. Lentic waters include ponds, lakes, and wetlands.
-Lentic ecosystems can be related to lotic ecosystems involving flowing land waters, such as rivers and streams. These two areas together form the more general area of study of freshwater or aquatic ecology.
-Lentic systems are complex, ranging from a small, temporary rainwater pool a few inches deep to Lake Baikal, which has a maximum depth of 1642 m.
-Ponds and pools have two regions: the open-water pelagic zone, and the benthic zone containing the bottom and shore zones. Since lakes do not expose deep bottom regions to light, these systems have an additional deep zone. These three areas may have very different abiotic conditions and, subsequently, host species specifically adapted to live there.
-The temperature, light, wind, chemistry affects the lentic ecosystem.
Lentic system biota:
-Bacteria play a crucial role in lentic system metabolism via nutrient recycling. These bacteria help in decomposing organic materials.
-Phytoplankton and periphyton are the two major photosynthesizers in the lentic system, apart from them, other aquatic plants also are involved in photosynthesis.
-Invertebrates such as zooplanktons will float in the water surfaces. They are the food for various fishes in the pond and lakes.
-Fishes are the major vertebrates that live in the aquatic environment. They are highly sensitive to various changes in the water.

So, the correct answer is, ‘lentic’.

Note: Various human activities impact these lentic ecosystems. Acidification(by the release of sulfur-containing compounds), eutrophication (release of phosphorus-containing compounds, and other compounds that increase the nutrient content on the lakes) affects various life forms present on the lakes.