Thirty-year update: Changes in biological characteristics of degraded muskellunge nursery habitat in southern Georgian Bay, Lake Huron, Canada
Aquatic vegetation is a critical component of nursery habitat for young-of-the-year (YOY) muskellunge. The trophy status of the muskellunge fishery in southeastern Georgian Bay owes its reputation to the widespread distribution of aquatic vegetation in coastal marshes of this… Read More
Wave exposure and hydrologic connectivity create diversity in habitat and zooplankton assemblages at nearshore Long Point Bay, Lake Erie
During an 11-day period in August 2008, we visited 102 sites along the nearshore (~60 km) of Long Point Bay. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the effects of wave exposure and hydrologic connectivity on zooplankton distributions. Long Point is located within the UNESCO… Read More
Changes in aquatic vegetation and fish communities following 5 years of sustained low water levels in coastal marshes of eastern Georgian Bay, Lake Huron
Aquatic vegetation in the relatively pristine coastal wetlands of eastern Georgian Bay provides critical habitat for a diverse fish community. Declining water levels in Lake Huron over the past decade, however, have altered the wet- land plant assemblages in favour of terrestrial… Read More
Relative importance of macrophyte community versus water-quality variables for predicting fish assemblages in coastal wetlands of the Laurentian Great Lakes
Fish have been shown to be sensitive indicators of environmental quality in Great Lakes coastal wetlands. Fish composition also reflects aquatic macrophyte communities, which provide them with critical habitat. Although investigators have shown that the relationship between water… Read More
Non-random sampling and its role in habitat conservation: a comparison of three wetland macrophyte sampling protocols
Aquatic macrophytes provide essential spawning and nursery habitat for fish, valuable food source for waterfowl, migratory birds and mammals, and contribute greatly to overall biodiversity of coastal marshes of the Laurentian Great Lakes. Two approaches have been used to survey… Read More