The pond represents a basic aquatic system of moderate to large size. This ecosystem also includes the littoral zone of lakes, the lake-pond shore and surrounding environment. It is not an ephemeral aquatic environment. The essential difference between permanent and ephemeral bodies of water is size and duration. Ephemeral pools may not last beyond the spring melt. Permanent ponds may last hundreds of years, and lakes from one to several thousand years.

This forest represents a terrestrial ecosystem that is not neccessarily close to an aquatic ecosystem, but may harbor species that require dampness. This terrestrial habitat can be colonized by direct development amphibians which have no need of breeding or larval development in water. It also harbors species whose adult phase disperses far from it's aquatic larval origins. Those species will eventually breed in water to lay their eggs.

This stream or tributary represents the habitat for all those species whose larval and/or adult phase are best suited for environments with running water. A significantly different ecosystem than ponds or lakes, rivers and streams harbor fauna and flora adapted to a higher oxygen level and the ability to live in stong currents. Food chains and predator-prey interactions differ from those found in still water.

This meadow represents open moist fields and prairies, both natural and cultivated. The species that live in these regions tend to develop in temporary pools that can be anything from flooded fields and natural spring pools, to agricultural and roadside ditches.