Figure 1.

We call lentic waterbodies by a variety of names in the English language including ponds, lakes, wetlands, reservoirs, oxbows, prairie potholes, vernal pools, lagoons, dams, puddles, and shallow lakes. These names may or may not correspond to ecological and systematic differences. Generally, laypeople and experts, as individuals, will quickly differentiate among broad categories of ponds, lakes, and wetlands; however, individuals may respond in different ways depending on their background and experiences. We present three different images of waterbodies that could each be categorized as lake, pond, or wetland using objective (e.g., morphology or vegetative cover) or more subjective criteria keeping cognizant of the complexity within and potential overlap among waterbody types.