Week 3 continued: Ecology

Just came back from taking the test...I'm certain I got quite a few wrong, which means I'll have to study a little more or ahead of time. Anyway I'm going to continue with week three's journal questions. Before I go ahead... on one of the examples I gave, I said Pileated Woodpecker, but it wasn't this species. It was more like a Northern Flicker. There is definitely a difference in coloring in both Woodpecker species. There are either Northern Flicker, or a certain species of the Northern Flicker in my neighborhood.

Week 3: Continued

2) Describe the ecosystem that exists in your backyard (or a nearby field, etc.) describe some of the relationships between these organisms. How do you impact your "backyard" ecosystem?

* I don't have any pictures to show what the pond looks like, so I'll try and describe the pond as best as I can.
There is a small pond ten minutes from my home where I occassionally walk to. This kind of ecosystem is relatively quiet and peaceful at times, and mostly there are numerous trees, most of them being evergreens and some are deciduous. When I walk towards the Evercreek's Pond (name of the pond), there is a strip of lawn planted with plum blossoms. In the background there are trees and blackberry bushed tangled in the foreground. I saw several snags; dead trees, which are often good places for eagles to land, or roosting places for other birds....one of the snag has a hole, which might be where there was a woodpecker (my guess). I heard a frog somewhere in the distant background and a dog barking way off in the distance. The pond has lily pads growing, though I've never seen flowers yet, and shrubs and bushes in the distance. There are small rocks nearby a step leading down to the water so the neighbors can come see the ducks. In the summer, or when it's sunnier there are dragonflies, but it was raining at the time I saw the pond, and there were a group of mallard ducks swimming. I have seen other species of ducks with my binoculars, so there can be a diverse range of species.
The trees provide a place for birds, as does the shrubs, which could be where there are nests. The berries (non-native and invasive) could provide foods and hiding places for smaller birds, such as songbirds. Snags, as I mentioned, can make good perches for birds and food (insects). Though I've seen any fish, there are herbacious food for ducks to forage in the pond. There are also insects in the pond, which can provide food for amphibians, such as frogs/toads. The pond is in a relatively sunny area, so there is enough sunlight for plants to grow and spread.
Unfortunately, since Evan's Creek Pond is in a neighborhood setting, the impact of humans could impact the pond. I could impact the pond if I were to use fertiliser or pesticides this could effect the pond itself and decrease the number of toads/frogs living in the area. If excess nitrogen were put into the ground, algae could grow and decimate living species in the water. Humans have even taken to feeding ducks leftover bread, which is not a good idea in itself, even though I have done this in the past-wildlife is best left alone from humans. I think the mallard ducks have become used to the neighboring area, that sometimes they venture onto people's lawns, and can be seen occassionally on side walks. What we do to our neighboring ecosystem can impact species.