Editing Vernal pool (section)

{{short description|Seasonal pools of water that provide habitat}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2024}}
[[Image:Vernal Pools 2.jpg|right|thumb|Vernal pool with clay hardpan bottom, Vina Plains Nature Conservancy Preserve, California, United States]]
'''Vernal pools''', also called '''vernal ponds''' or '''ephemeral pools''', are seasonal pools of water that provide habitat for distinctive plants and animals. They are considered to be a distinctive type of [[wetland]] usually devoid of fish, and thus allow the safe development of natal amphibian and insect species unable to withstand competition or predation by fish. Certain [[tropical]] fish lineages (such as [[killifish]]es) have however [[adaptation|adapted]] to this [[habitat]] specifically.

Vernal pools are a type of wetland. They can be surrounded by many communities/species including deciduous forest, grassland, lodgepole pine forest, blue oak woodland, sagebrush steppe, succulent coastal scrub and prairie. These pools are characteristic of [[Mediterranean climate]]s, but occur in many other ecosystems.