Biotic Components Paper

Biotic Components Paper

An ecosystem can be defined as a collection of living and non-living things working together in a community. However, an ecosystem also involves sustaining life. Allen Pond Park is an ecosystem located in Bowie, Maryland. This paper will cover the major structural and functional dynamic of Allen Pond Park including change over time. This paper will also describe how humans may have affected the biogeochemical cycles in Allen Pond Park, and how knowledge about this ecosystem's structure and function can help or has helped to develop plans for its management and restoration.

Allen Pond Park is one of the major parks in the city of Bowie, Maryland. The park is "an 85-acre multi-use park which includes an Ice Arena, Amphitheater, boat rentals, Skate Park, 10-acre stocked pond, 6 lighted ball fields, picnic areas and pavilions, walking and biking trails, lighted basketball court, fitness station and several playground areas" (The City of Bowie Maryland, 2012, para. 1). Allen Pond Park provides the inactive and active person with some form of recreational activities. The park provides the opportunity for people to sit and gaze, feed the ducks, sports involvement, fishing, or use of paddle boats during the warmer months.

The park has not always provided all the amenities mentioned above. The park area was owned by Mr. James Allen. Mr. Allen and his family lived on the farm grounds where he raised cattle, farmed tobacco, and stocked a fishing pond. The farm grounds had a barn and plenty of mature trees within its landscape. Mr. Allen sold the farm in 1965 to a company named Levitt and Sons and asked the company to preserve the pond for the community. Levitt and Sons built an amphitheater, docks, and a pavilion on the pond's island that was connected to the park by a foot bridge (City of Bowie Maryland, 2010). In 1969, the city of Bowie took control of the pond and claimed the area as a public park for its residents.

The woodlands covering the park include yellow poplar, gum and black locust trees along with vines and other groundcover (City of Bowie Maryland, 2010). Bass and bluegill catfish occupy the 10-arce pond. It is also stocked with trout in the spring. The pond serves as a regional storm water facility and has intermittent streams flowing into it from the eastern end. The woodlands provide shelter and food for small animals like birds, insects, and squirrels. The pond provide a habitat for insects, fish, and bacteria, and plant life (Study of Northern Virginia Ecology, 2012). Ducks also use the pond for feedings and relaxation.

How humans may affect biogeochemical cycles

The Allen Pond has gone through quite a few changes since its farm days. The area was rich in grasslands and trees. During the process of changing the farm to a public park, the biogeochemical cycles of the area have been affected.