Final answer:
Classic explanations of pond and lake succession suggest a transition from open water to terrestrial ecosystems, while modern explanations emphasize the complexity of the process, taking into account biotic interactions and external factors. The turnover of lakes significantly differs between temperate and tropical regions, with temperate lakes experiencing more pronounced seasonal changes that affect nutrient cycling and oxygenation.
Step-by-step explanation:
Succession in Ponds and Lakes
Classic explanations of succession in ponds and lakes, also known as hydrosere, describe a gradual change from an open body of water to a forest ecosystem. Early stages include colonization by pioneer species such as algae and small aquatic plants, followed by floating plants, reeds, and rushes as sediment builds up. Eventually, the pond fills with enough soil for woody plants and trees to establish, transforming the area into woodland.
Modern explanations tend to build upon the classic model, emphasizing more on the role of biotic interactions, ecological niches, and random events that could affect the process such as climate change or human activities. They also consider the variability of the process, acknowledging that it can be non-linear and that multiple stable states or alternative stable states are possible for a given body of water.
Difference in Turnover Between Tropical and Temperate Lakes
In temperate regions, lakes often undergo a seasonal turnover due to thermal stratification breaking down in the spring and fall. This process recycles nutrients and oxygenates the water, which aids in sustaining a diverse aquatic ecosystem. In contrast, tropical lakes experience less dramatic temperature changes, leading to less pronounced or even absent seasonal turnover, which can have implications for nutrient cycling and organism distribution in these lakes.