Why we can't afford to ignore the world's smallest freshwater bodies

Ponds have long been neglected by science, but we can't overlook these diverse and important nature hotspots any more, say Jeremy Biggs and Penny Williams.

Considering they are the world’s most numerous patches of water, it is surprising that ponds are poorly understood. There are millions – possibly billions – of them. Yet for a century or so, scientists have paid them very little attention.

This neglect might not have mattered were it not for increasing evidence that ponds are extremely important habitats for wildlife. Across many landscapes, they are being shown to support more freshwater plant and animal species than rivers or lakes. From microscopic algae to water beetles, aquatic plants, amphibians and water birds, ponds have rich, diverse and distinctive communities with a disproportionate…