As I enjoyed my annual Christmas ice skating treat, I reflected on the fact that frozen water bodies pose significant problems for wildlife.

Fish are largely protected as they become sluggish and rest in mud while male frogs virtually turn down their metabolic rate as they hibernate on the bottom of ponds.

Birds such as herons kingfishers and cormorants, all fish eaters, suffer and in severe conditions kingfishers may migrate to the south coast to fish in salt water pools on rocky beaches.

Wading birds including ducks,geese and swans have a sort of anti-freeze in their blood which prevents their feet becoming stuck to the ice.

In prolonged very frosty weather when the upper layer of soil becomes rock hard, earthworms, the staple diet of some birds, badgers and foxes dive deep and remain inaccessible.

As we all know, in very cold weather water in the lower zone of ponds is warmer than the icy top layer. Then, as temperatures rise and reach a critical point, the reverse applies so that in summer for example, upper water levels are warmer while lower levels cool down.

In scientific jargon, the top-most zone of water is named epilimnion whilst the lower zone is called hypolimnion. Complicated innit!

Of course, this situation is most fortunate otherwise there would be no ice skating and wildlife could not survive if ice sank to the bottom.