The role of wetlands as nearshore habitat in Lake Huron

Abstract

Wetlands are generally considered to be among the most productive habitats on earth. As the landscape connection between upland and aquatic ecosystems, they possess many of the attributes of both systems and perform functions that extend well beyond the wetland boundary into both systems. In Lake Huron, wetlands comprise a small fraction of the total area, but they provide nearshore habitat for many plant and animal species that are deemed important for the lake as a whole. Thus, their role is an important one. In this paper, after describing the general functions and types of wetlands, I will explore the importance of wetland habitat in Lake Huron by defining its extent, describing physical and biological processes, summarizing biological uses, and detailing management problems.