Ep 131. Ponds vs. Lakes and Vernal Pools

Enjoy a walk in the woods of Lodestar Park, Fredon, NJ, answering the question about the difference between Ponds vs. Lakes and Vernal Ponds. And how even pond-less waterfalls can benefit wildlife and soothe the soul. 

We wrap up the episode with how serving others can happen in our gardens and yards by creating a healthful environment for our precious wildlife. Plus, do whatever you do with love and kindness as you go about your daily life because kindness grows.

 Related Stories (and Episodes) and Helpful Links:    

·         Inconsistency over Pond vs. Lake

·         Safe Havens of Vernal Ponds

·         Ep 07. Swarming Blackbirds, Winter Folklore, Thankfulness

·         Swarming Common Grackles
 
 

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I'd love to hear about your garden and nature stories. And your thoughts about topics for future podcast episodes. You can email me at AskMaryStone@gmail.com. Thanks so much for tuning in.

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Thank you for sharing the Garden of Life,

Mary Stone, Columnist & Garden Designer
                                AskMaryStone.com

More about the Podcast and Column:

Welcome to Garden Dilemmas, Delights, and Discoveries.

It's not only about gardens; it's about nature's inspirations, about grasping the glories of the world around us, gathering what we learned from mother nature, and carrying these lessons into our garden of life. So, let's jump in in the spirit of learning from each other. We have lots to talk about.

Thanks for tuning in, Mary Stone
Garden Dilemmas? AskMaryStone.com
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Transcript

Ep 131 Ponds vs. Lakes and Vernal Pools

Sat, Oct 21, 2023 10:20AM • 8:47

SUMMARY KEYWORDS

ponds, life, lake, nature, garden, vernal, dry, walk, wildlife, swarming, calls, water, plaque, raindrops, summer, ken roberts, blackbirds, dilemmas, mary stone, garden, nature, inspiration

SPEAKERS

Mary Stone

Mary Stone  00:00

Hello fellow lovers of all things green. I'm Mary Stone and welcome to Garden Dilemmas, Delights and Discoveries. It's not only about gardens, it's about nature's inspirations, about grasping the glories of the world around us, gathering what we learned from Mother Nature and carrying these lessons into our garden of life. So let's jump in in the spirit of learning from each other. We have lots to talk about. 

Mary Stone  00:26

Hello there, it's Mary Stone on the screen porch and it is warming up so nicely. I came out early this morning, but the swarming grackles are swarming the front yard and when they come in to feed, they are squawking and make such a noise. But it's fascinating to watch the synchronized waves as they take off in flight. And we spoke about swarming blackbirds in Episode 7I invite you to tune into In fact, I will put a link in the show notes. And I also mentioned last week it was almost on cue actually the Blackbirds which are the Swarming Grackles are here, because I started writing the story about crows, and we will talk about that another week, but not today because I was asked the question, what is the difference between a lake and a pond and Vernal Pond? So today, we'll talk about that. 

Mary Stone  01:14

But before I do, I want to thank those of you that wrote in about last week's chat about the beloved Pet Painted Turtle and worrisome Beach Leaf Disease. My dear singing buddy and friend Ken Roberts wrote, "another beautiful column and podcast, it brought back warm memories of our time with Myrna. Your stories are always inspirational and uplifting, and the description of a cycle of life as regards to a leaf was especially meaningful. Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts with us. It's a wonderful way to start the week."

Mary Stone  01:47

"Thank you, Ken, our time together each week at the home for hospice brings meaning to life. I cherish the time and I thank you for the gifts of music you graciously give and inviting me to pipe in. It's true, Ken is the musician. I just sing songs with him. Ken is such a dear friend. And it's just magical to me how life brings people together when you follow a path that calls you and you follow your heart. So anyway, on to this week's story which starts like this. Hello fellow readers and listeners.

Mary Stone  02:17

 It never occurred to me that there is an inconsistency of what defines a pond versus a lake. If I may share a walk in the woods that answers the curious question. After a weekly volunteer sing at the hospice on Friday, I enjoyed a walk in the rain at Lodestar Park and Fredon New Jersey. There's something serene about walking amongst raindrops, especially when a drizzle hits your face, feeling like kisses from heaven. Not walking there with Miss Ellie, one of her favorite spots, felt strange, but I felt her still by my side. 

Mary Stone  02:51

As you can tell, this story was written after I had lost Miss Ellie Mae and before Jolee came into my life to help fill those paws. Never quite the same, but every dog has their glorious personality to imprint on our hearts, don't they? And cats and birds or horses, whatever critter you have. 

Mary Stone  03:12

Beyond the Hay Field trail, I made a right onto the Nature Trail which meanders through the woods. The golden carpet of fallen leaves covering the path was soft to walk on. I stopped to listen to the raindrops cadence taking in the miracles of the cycle of life, the rhythm of nature, the change in seasons. There's a small pond where an informational plaque stands. It explains that the technical distinction between a lake and a pond has not been universally standardized, which piqued my interest. Aren't ponds shallow and small compared to deeper and larger lakes?  But I suppose everything is up to interpretation and research proved so.

Mary Stone  03:53

I came upon the term limnology, which is the study of the biological, chemical, and physical features of lakes and other bodies of water. That's from Oxford Dictionary, by the way. In the late 18th, early 19th centuries limnology a body of water justifies as a lake when deep enough to have two or three water layers in varying temperatures, called thermal stratification. Ponds, on the other hand, are shallow enough to have rooted plants along the bottom throughout. But today's limnology understands that nature has no exacting categories. There are deep lakes and ponds and shallow lakes and ponds, and other differences. 

Mary Stone  04:32

So how ponds of lakes are formed-- The plaque explains depressions which collects and retains a sufficient amount of water can be described as a pond, and a variety of geological events causes such depressions. Of course, we all learned about the Ice Age and the impact of glaciers and our school time as kids, don't you remember? But ponds and lakes can be human made or made by critters such as beavers here and alligators elsewhere. During summer droughts, fires can cause a divot that fills with water after the dry spell ends. 

Mary Stone  05:07

Temporary ponds after snowmelt or rainy seasons are called Vernal ponds, vital spots for amphibians to breed. 

Mary Stone  05:15

Sometimes names are changed from pond to Lake when real estate is involved. Lakefront homes seems to fetch a more significant price tag. However, ponds add beauty to the landscape and benefit our wildlife. Funny that they don't come with the same price tag, right. 

Mary Stone  05:32

So, what about pond-less waterfalls which are so common in landscapes? I have a client in Denville, New Jersey who wanted one. We wanted to make a pond but that was not feasible with the terrain that was there. And so, we discussed building a pond-less waterfall, and while it cannot sustain fish, aquatic insects and water plants as described in the park’s plaque, Stephanie gleefully considered how the birds will adore it and the deer will have a place to drink. Plus, it will be a draw to important pollinators like dragonflies and butterflies. Beyond that she'll enjoy a babbling stream serenity and soothing sounds. I like to think wildlife will too.  Darden Dilemmas? Ask MaryStone.com. 

Mary Stone  06:14

So I think we have a little time I want to share a little bit more about Vernal Ponds because they're quite fascinating. They dry up seasonally, typically in the heat of the summer, and they are essential harbors of life and are classified as unique wetlands customarily devoid of fish, although in tropical areas certain fish have adapted to them. In these parts vernal pools don't shelter fish. So, our important amphibians and insects can readily reproduce out of reach from predatory fish, which is why they are so important to our wonderful frogs and toads. You know how much I love the peepers that I hear early in the spring when they're in their mating calls. And that's because I have areas where they can breed.

Mary Stone  06:57

 I've been concerned this summer because we've had so much rain that Vernal ponds didn't dry up as they usually do. And I wondered if there's a risk of wildlife within them that may not survive because they didn't dry up. But according to the Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program, not all vernal pools dry out yearly, though they do all periodically. So, there's comfort in knowing that nature knows what she is doing. That is for sure. 

Mary Stone  07:24

You know, I mentioned the joy of visiting the Home for Hospice with Ken each week. But I want to point out that serving others does not have to be that organized. It can happen in your own gardens and yards by simply creating a healthful environment for our precious wildlife. Plus, as you go about your daily life, do whatever you do with love and kindness, then you serve those you meet and greet. Because kindness grows. You never know the difference you can make in somebody's day or their life. Right. Anyway, thanks so much for coming by. I always enjoy our time together and I hope you have as well and if so, I would so appreciate it if you could share the podcast with a friend or family member so that more can join us and learn and grow in the garden of life. It means so much. See you next time on the screen porch. 

Mary Stone  08:17

You can follow Garden Dilemmas on Facebook or online at Garden Dilemmas.com and on Instagram at hashtag Mary Elaine Stone. Garden Dilemmas, Delights and Discoveries is produced by Alex Bartling. Thanks for coming by. I look forward to chatting again from my screen porch. And always remember to embrace the unexpected in this garden of life. Have a great day.