A little freshwater pond hosts animals and plant of a special ecosystem almost disappeared in wild. Luckily, in recent years there is an increasing re-evaluation of wetlands and an important effort in preserving these areas to protect the species living there: from the magnificent floating flowers of the water lily to the glossy water beetles.
During spring and summer it is possible to understand the complexity of this little pond easily: in its shallow-water it is common to see wildlife diving or summing there - newts, water beetles, frog and toad tadpoles, snails, dragonfly naiads - and the rich vegetation defines the different habitats of these species.
A informative board, next to the wetland grove, show the plants living in the different areas of the pond.
At the bottom of the pond, there are plants living in wetlands such as sedges (Carex pendula Hudson, Carex elata All.) and hemp-agrimony (Eupatorium cannabinum L.). Going to the center of the pond there are emergent plants with submerged root, this is the area with reed bands with common reed (Phragmites australis L.) and cattails (Typha latifolia L.), amongst these great willow-herb (Epilobium hirsutum L.), water flag (Iris pseudacorus L.), purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria L.), marsh euphorbia (Euphorbia palustris L.), the fern Telipteris palustris L. and the bulrush (Schoenoplectus lacustris (L.) Palla). It is worth to mention Senecio paludosus L., typical species living in the wetlands of Pianura Padana and in alpine valleys, almost disappeared for land reclaims and pollution. Where the water is deeper we find rooted-floating plants that have underground stems (rhizomes) from which new plants can sprout. Their leaves and flowers float on the water’s surface. Examples of these plants include waterlily (Nimphaea alba L.) yellow waterlily (Nuphar luteum (L.) S. et S.). There are then submersed plants are rooted at the bottom and grow up through the water like Myriophyllum verticillatum L. and species belonging to the genus Chara.
