Authors: Joseph Gathman and Brian Keas

Author Affiliation: Michigan State University

Journal: Report Submitted to Michigan Coastal Management Program,
Project number 99-3099-24, October 1999

Abstract: The Great Lakes coastal wetland project was designed to identify factors important to the protection of the unique wetlands in the Les Cheneaux area: Many studies, by several researchers, were implemented to describe the plant and animal communities in the area and to begin to develop an understanding of the natural and human-created factors affecting them.

Authors: *Michael E. Sierszen , John A. Morrice , Anett S. Trebitz & Joel C. Hoffman; *Corresponding author: sierszen.michael@epa.gov

Author Affiliation: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, National Health and Ecological Effects Research Laboratory, Mid-Continent Ecology Division, Duluth, Minnesota 55804, USA

Journal: Aquatic Ecosystem Health & Management, 15:1, 92-106, DOI:10.1080/14634988.2011.624970 (2012)

Abstract: Significant ecosystem services derive from the coastal wetlands of the Laurentian Great Lakes even though two-thirds of the original coastal wetlands have been lost since European settlement, and the remaining 126,000 ha of U.S. coastal wetlands and ≥70,000 ha of Canadian wetlands are affected by anthropogenic stressors. Published information indicates that wildlife habitat, fisheries support, and water quality improvement are significant ecosystem services provided by Great Lakes coastal wetlands that should be strongly considered during management decision making. 30 species of waterfowl, 155 breeding bird species, and 55 species of reptiles and amphibians are supported by coastal wetland habitats across the Basin. Nearly all sport and commercialGreat Lakes fish species use coastalwetlands for life-cycle functions, and Great Lakes food webs are supported by wetland export of young sport and forage fish. Biological responses indicate declines in the wildlife and fishery services with increasing levels of anthropogenic disturbance. Extrapolation from a single well-studied system suggests that, Basin-wide, coastal wetlands may retain nearly 4000 tonnes P and 53,000 tonnes N per year, but additional studies are needed to support these estimates and determine stressor effects. Coastal wetlands appear to retain sediments over long time scales, but may either retain or release sediments during storm events. Extrapolation of carbon sequestration from other wetland types suggests that less than 90 g C yr−1 might be retained across the Basin. Wild rice production provides a culturally important ecosystem service, and coastal protection may be locally significant where fringing wetland remain. To support management decisions, quantitative relationships between specific stressors or land use practices and the delivery of ecosystem services are needed, as are ecosystem service indicators to measure those responses.

Authors: Thomas M. Burton¹,∗ and Donald G. Uzarski²; ∗Corresponding author: burtont@msu.edu

Author Affiliation: ¹Departments of Zoology and Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, USA
²Department of Biology, Brooks 156, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, Michigan 48859 USA

Journal: Aquatic Ecosystem Health & Management, 12:1,63-76, DOI: 10.1080/14634980802715266 (2009)

Abstract: Lake Huron protected (barrier-protected) wetlands occur within 1 km of the lake, in swales, interdunal ponds, and other shallow depressions. These wetlands are not directly connected via surface water to Lake Huron, although their hydrology is influenced by lake levels. Biodiversity in them has not been well documented. We compiled plant and animal species occurrence data from published and unpublished sources for the U.S. coast of Lake Huron. Many data sources were reports written by the authors and/or by scientists of the Michigan Natural Features Inventory. Species occurrence data were supplemented with data from published wetlands literature and dissertations and theses.We did not do a thorough compilation for Canadian wetlands and only added limited Canadian data from the “Ontario Great Lakes Coastal Wetlands Atlas”.

Authors: Tomas O. Ho¨o¨k, Natalya M. Eagan, and Paul W. Webb

Author Affiliation: University of Michigan Biological Station, School of Natural Resources and Environment, University of Michigan

Journal: WETLANDS, Vol. 21, No. 2, June 2001, pp. 281–291; q 2001, The Society of Wetland Scientists

Abstract: Great Lakes coastal marshes serve as spawning areas for adult and nurseries for young-of-year fishes, but the capacity of these habitats to facilitate fish reproduction is threatened due to their continued destruction and degradation. In order to appreciate the consequences of marsh loss and degradation, we collected fish larvae with icthyoplankton nets during the summers of 1997 and 1998 in three coastal marsh bays in Les Cheneaux, northern Lake Huron. In addition, we obtained several metrics of human activities and local habitat features (vegetation, water temperature, and substrate slope) and evaluated the importance of these metrics in structuring local larval fish assemblages. Our study indicated that local habitat features strongly and directly affected local larval fish assemblages in Les Cheneaux, while human activities did not. However, human activities may have altered local habitats in Les Cheneaux, thus indirectly impacting local larval fish assemblages.

Author: Elliot Nelson, Michigan Sea Grant Extension Educator

Author Affiliation: Michigan State University Extension

Journal: Personal Correspondence with LCWC, 4/11/17

Abstract: Review of Habitat & Species Resources, along with Wetland Ecosystem Services & Threats