🦠 When you collect a sample of pond water, you're gathering a vibrant microcosm teeming with life invisible to the naked eye. This water contains microscopic organisms called protists, such as paramecia, amoebae, and euglena, all swimming in their aquatic habitat. You'll also find tiny invertebrates like water fleas (Daphnia), copepods, and rotifers darting through the water. These organisms form a complex food web where predator and prey relationships exist on a miniature scale.⁠ ⁠ Beyond living organisms, pond water holds a variety of suspended particles, including algae, bacteria, organic detritus, and mineral sediments. These components contribute to the water's characteristic appearance and smell. Dissolved substances like minerals, nutrients (phosphates and nitrates), and gases (oxygen, carbon dioxide) sustain this aquatic ecosystem. Together, these elements create a remarkable, self-contained world that reveals the incredible biodiversity present even in the smallest bodies of ...