Vernal pools are temporary bodies of water. In Vermont, they are most often found in a wooded area. An important feature of vernal pools is that they occasionally dry out for a part of the year. They are called "vernal" pools because they are often at their fullest level in early spring, after the snow melt and spring rains refill the dry basin. Because they do not hold water all year, every year, fish do not live in them. This gives the eggs and larva of many amphibians and macro-invertebrates an opportunity to mature without the threat of a major predator. Despite the fact that it is a temporary body of water - when it is full of water, it is teeming with life!
Click below to see a slide show of some of the organisms commonly found in the vernal pool that we are studying.
