A community is a group of populations of different species that live in the same area. The community of a pond includes all the populations of different species that live in the pond, including plants, animals, and microorganisms. The plants in a pond provide food and shelter for the animals, and the animals provide food for the microorganisms. The microorganisms help to break down dead plants and animals, and recycle nutrients back into the environment. The community of a pond is a complex and interdependent web of life.