Winter landscapes may look serene and peaceful to us - but for wildlife living in New Hampshire's lakes, it's still a very busy season.
The wildlife living in lakes and ponds like Barbadoes Pond in Madbury are busier in winter than this peaceful scene might suggest. (Courtesy Sonya Carlson)
Hi, this is Scott Fitzpatrick for New Hampshire Audubon bringing you Something Wild.
The cold, clean canvas of new snow over a frozen lake presents a peaceful image, but it belies the chaos and struggle going on beneath the ice. The most obvious is that the plants and animals down there have to deal with colder water. In addition, the ice and snow cover severely reduces light levels virtually stopping plant growth and oxygen production. Less food and air equals even more stress. Lastly, the barrier of ice blocks atmospheric oxygen from mixing in at the water’s surface. Yikes! Even less air.
Well, despite these harsh conditions, life goes on. Tadpoles, salamander larvae, and even some adult frogs swim around slowly searching for food. Dragonfly and other insect larvae continue to eat and grow through the winter. And, as usual, the hunters are also the hunted. The food chain remains in place as small fish eat the tadpoles and larvae and are in turn are hunted and eaten by larger ones. While some warm water species like bass are relatively inactive in winter, others like trout, perch, and cusk hunt voraciously for their daily meals. And who sits on top of this chain? You guessed it - ice fishermen.
And though we may not think of them as underwater critters, I must mention the beaver. Though they spend most of their time in the lodge, beavers do swim out for food stashed nearby in the pond. As an adaptation, beavers actually have a way to raise their body temperature before taking a dip. This allows them more time in the water to retrieve food before their core temperature drops to a dangerous level.
So when you snowshoe out over a frozen winter pond this week, pause a minute and think about the amazing activity going on just below your feet.
For Something Wild, I'm Scott Fitzpatrick
Something Wild is a joint production of New Hampshire Audubon, New Hampshire Public Radio, and the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests.
