Landscape-scale Influences on Least Bittern (Ixobrychus Exilis) Habitat Use in Southern Ontario Coastal Marshes
Least Bittern (Ixobrychus exilis) populations have declined in Canada, and this has led to the species being listed as threatened under the Species-at-risk Act. Wetland loss and degradation has been extreme in southern Ontario (> 90% loss in some areas) and this loss has been… Read More
Detecting changes in ecosystem quality following long-term restoration efforts in Cootes Paradise Marsh
Cootes Paradise Marsh is a large urban wetland of western Lake Ontario that has undergone major restoration as part of the Hamilton Harbour Remedial Action Plan. A key component of the restoration plan is exclusion of common carp (Cyprinus carpio) via construction of the Cootes… Read More
Application of the index of marsh bird community integrity to coastal wetlands of Georgian Bay and Lake Ontario, Canada
Ecological indicators have gained increasing attention within the scientific community over the past 40 years. Several taxonomic groups have been used successfully as indicators including most prominently fish, invertebrates, plants, and birds because of their ability to indicate… Read More
Use of ecological indicators to assess the quality of Great Lakes coastal wetlands
Over 2000 coastal wetland complexes have been identified in the Laurentian Great Lakes watershed, each providing critical habitat for numerous aquatic and terrestrial species. Research has shown there is a direct link between anthropogenic activities (urbanization and… Read More
Relationship of road density and marsh condition to turtle assemblage characteristics in the Laurentian Great Lakes
Human-induced degradation of coastal wetlands often leads to altered trophic dynamics and species assemblages. Here we use data from 77 coastal marshes in three Laurentian Great Lakes collected between 2001 and 2007 to examine the relationship between human disturbance (road… Read More