Water is all around us.

Did you know that water bodies make up about 70% of Earth? 

Let's take a look at some of these water bodies and explore what lives in them! 

This body of water is called a stream.

This is the smallest body of water on our list so let's explore what lives here and how they help the streams. 

Mayflies are indicator species which help determine if the stream is healthy. 

Otters are predators that help regulate the fish population.  

Moss along with other vegetation provides natural filtration to keep water clean. 

Bass are omnivore predators. They help control fish, insect, and vegetation. 

Frogs eat algae that helps keep the water ways clean. Their permeable skin makes them an indicator species.

This body of water is called a pond. 

Ponds are bodies of water where sunlight is able to penetrate to the bottom. Let's see what organisms live here. 

Hornwort lives on the pond floor, they are homes for small organisms. 

Sunfish balance the population of smaller organisms like smaller fish, insects, and amphibians. 

Geese are not great for ponds. They can cause overgrazing of vegetation. 

Horse leeches eat snails and insects and keep their populations controlled. Leeches are also indicator species.

Turtles will eat dead or sickly fish which in return keeps the ecosystem healthy. 

This body of water is called a lake. 

Lakes are defined by if they are deep enough that sunlight cannot reach down to the bottom. 

Beavers build dams that help prevent floods, and filter sediment. 

Catfish are scavenger predators so they will help control smaller fish populations and insects. 

Snails feed on the algae on rocks, which helps prevent algae bloom.   

Cattails grow along the edges of the lakes and help prevent erosion. They offer nesting sites to birds. 

Snakes are mesopredators. They eat many species like amphibians, eggs, insects, but they are also prey for species like birds. 

This body of water is called a wetland

Wetlands are different from previous bodies of water. Wetlands are where water covers soil either all year or seasonal.