There are different bodies of water, and some people usually confuse one with the other. One of the common bodies of water whose definition is often assumed to be similar is the pond and lake.
While both ponds and lakes are bodies of water surrounded by land, they differ in many different ways. Although professionals have not yet set a specific boundary between the two terms, some differences are already given for both.
Key Takeaways
- Ponds are small, shallow bodies of water that can support a limited range of aquatic plants and animals.
- Lakes are larger, deeper bodies of water that can support a more diverse range of plant and animal life.
- Ponds are more susceptible to temperature fluctuations due to their shallow nature, while lakes have stratified layers with different temperatures.
Pond vs Lake
The difference between ponds and lakes is their depth. Lakes are usually deeper compared to ponds. The former is also usually bigger compared to the latter one.
Limnologists, scientists who study inland bodies of water, are still arguing about the specific differences between the two terms, they have listed a few aspects that can separate ponds from lakes. Below are some of the areas where ponds are considered different from lakes.
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Comparison Table
| Parameter of Comparison | Pond | Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Size | Usually smaller | Most of the time, bigger |
| Depth | Shallow | Deeper |
| Photosynthesis activity | More photosynthesis activities | Fewer activities |
| Presence of Aquatic life | More plants survival | Lesser plants |
| Temperature | Usually consistent all year round | Different layers have different temperature |
What is Pond?
A pond is a shallow body of water that can be found almost anywhere. Some ponds are natural while some are artificial and made by men for survival purposes.
Ponds are usually small and shallow, which means that the sun can penetrate into their waterbed. With this, more plants and aquatic animals can survive in a pond because they can get the sun’s rays which is essential for photosynthesis.
Some of the purposes of ponds include providing food for people and water that can be used in different ways. Fishes in the pond can be caught by people living near the pond and cook them for food.
The water in the pond can be used for drinking and for cleaning. They can clean their clothes and can take a bath in a pond.
Some ponds are also used for aesthetic purposes where people can go for recreation. They can put a picnic area near the pond and enjoy a lovely warm afternoon with family and friends.
What is Lake?
A lake is a more extensive and deeper body of water that is surrounded by water. Since they are more profound, the sun’s rays cannot sometimes reach the bottom of the waterbed, which makes it difficult for aquatic animals to survive.
Which means there is lesser aquatic life in lakes. Although some plants still thrive in lakes, like in the lake’s shallow areas, they are very minimal.
Even if there is lesser aquatic life in lakes, they still offer food for people who are living around them. They are also a good source of water for their daily needs.
People also usually go swimming in the lakes since they are deeper. And when one goes swimming, they would usually feel that the deeper part of the lake is colder compared to the surface of it.
Lake usually has fresh water, but some may also have salty ones just like The Great Salt Lake.
Main Differences Between Pond and Lake
- In terms of size, a lake is usually more significant compared to a pond. This is the case for most ponds and lakes, although there are some bodies of water that are labelled as a pond but are bigger than lakes, these are very few. Most lakes are more extensive compared to any pond. So, if you ever see any body of water and you are not sure if it is a lake or pond, you can base it on the size.
- Lakes are generally considered to be deeper compared to ponds which are shallow. Most limnologists would say that lakes are more profound compared to ponds. One way to know if water surrounded by land is considered a pond or a lake is to get a stick and measure the depth of the water. If it is shallow, it may be a pond, but if you poke the stick in it and still do not feel the bottom, it is deeper and may be considered a lake.
- In ponds, photosynthesis activities thrive better compared to those in lakes. Since lakes are deeper, the sun cannot penetrate into the deeper parts, which makes it difficult for aquatic plants to survive. Plants need light from the sun because they convert this to the energy that is needed for their survival. Without the sun, most plants would die. But with ponds, since it is shallow, the sun can reach all of their parts, which makes it easy for plants to produce photosynthesis.
- Lakes have lesser aquatic life and plants, while the pond has more of them. Since photosynthesis activities are less in lakes, plants cannot survive, and some fish also would need the plants for survival. Ponds have more plants and fish because of the sun’s light that is converted into energy which they use for survival.
- Ponds have consistent temperatures all throughout their layers, while lakes would usually change the temperature in each layer. Since ponds are shallow, they usually have the same temperature from the surface to the bottom. With lakes, the surface is usually hotter compared to the bottom, which is colder. This is because it is too deep that the sun’s heat cannot reach the deeper part.
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Piyush Yadav has spent the past 25 years working as a physicist in the local community. He is a physicist passionate about making science more accessible to our readers. He holds a BSc in Natural Sciences and Post Graduate Diploma in Environmental Science. You can read more about him on his bio page.
