Many different environmental factors work together in your pond to promote photosynthesis. Plants are unique among living things because they make their own food. Through the process of photosynthesis which uses light, water, and carbon dioxide plant and tree leaves make sugars that are important for growth.

Discuss with your partner(s) factors, relationships and interactions you have observed among environmental factors around your pond. Draw and label a concept map (linked drawing) of these interactions.

You will be performing a preliminary site assessment of your pond and later test for all of the factors that you have identified as being important to the health of your pond on two different days.