Ephemeral Ponds Project

Chippewa Moraine Ephemeral Ponds Project
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We are conducting a five-year study of 57 ephemeral ponds within Wisconsin's Chippewa Moraine to identify the effects of environmental variability on aquatic macroinvertebrates, amphibians, plants and water chemistry.

Four Pond in Winter

Ephemeral ponds are fed by snowmelt and rainfall in the spring and dry out in the summer. 

Picture of the pond from June, when it's full of water to August when it's completely empty.

These habitats contain uniquely adapted organisms like fairy shrimp (Eubranchipus spp.), fingernail clams (Sphaeriidae), and clam shrimp (Lynceus spp.). Many species persist in dried ponds as dormant cysts and can serve as an important food source for migrating waterfowl.    

                               These habitats contain uniquely adapted organisms like fairy shrimp (Eubranchipus spp.), fingernail clams (Sphaeriidae), and clam shrimp (Lynceus spp.) Fingernail Clam  Fairy Shrimp

Fish eat amphibians, but because ephemeral ponds are fish-free, they provide critical, safe breeding habitat for amphibians, and wood frogs (Lithobates sylvaticus) in particular. Chorus frogs, spring peepers, and blue-spotted salamanders also breed in ephemeral ponds.

                               Wood frog Central newt adult