The American Pond Belt: an untold story of conservation challenges and opportunities

Over the past century, millions of ponds have been constructed on farms across the eastern Great Plains of the US. Although these ponds have been built to provide water for livestock and reduce soil erosion, they also serve as habitat for native species in agricultural landscapes that historically lacked natural wetlands. Because this role in supporting biodiversity has been chronically underappreciated, approaches to managing these ponds effectively for conservation remain poorly developed. Here, we discuss the historical context of pond construction, the role of ponds in agriculture, and their present distribution across the “American Pond Belt”. On the basis of our review of their ecology and threats, we contend that farm pond conservation should focus on enhancing pondscapes – networks of ponds encompassing a range of successional stages – to support the broadest array of biodiversity at a landscape scale. We also highlight the role of scientists, agency personnel, policy makers, and landowners in the future conservation of pondscapes in the Great Plains.