Summer 2022 • Issue 14

Coastal Zone

Published August 2022

Focusing on the Coastal Zone, this issue examines the dynamic interface where land meets water and its critical role in Great Lakes health. It explores the ecological significance of nearshore habitats, estuaries, and coastal wetlands while balancing their history of modification with current restoration hopes. Contributions include Indigenous-led monitoring programs and detailed studies on larval fish growth and filamentous algal blooms, emphasizing how these transition zones serve as both hotspots of productivity and indicators of broader environmental change requiring careful protection.

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Features

Great Lakes estuaries

Drowned river mouth estuaries in the Great Lakes are hot spots of productivity and human activity, offering ideal conditions for research and potential designation as a National Estuarine Research Reserve.

The nearshore

The Great Lakes nearshore is a legacy of human modification but also a source of hope, where restoration efforts and community engagement are revitalizing vital habitats.

Protecting Great Lakes shores by not “protecting” them

Raising concerns about climate impacts on Great Lakes shores can inadvertently justify destructive armoring; the best ecological response is often to let nature respond naturally.

Great Lakes coastal wetlands

A photographic journey through Great Lakes coastal wetlands showcases their dynamic landscapes, diverse vegetation zones, and vital role as spawning habitat for nearly three-quarters of Great Lakes fish.

Ecohydrology of a Lake Michigan interdunal wetland

An ecohydrological study in a Lake Michigan interdunal wetland reveals how rising lake levels and muskrat foraging interact to shape vegetation dynamics and wetland structure.

Saugeen Ojibway Nation Coastal Waters Monitoring Program

The Saugeen Ojibway Nation's Coastal Waters Monitoring Program collects the largest multi-year dataset on nearshore fish and habitat in their territory, blending science with sacred stewardship.

Departments

Member Spotlight

Charity Nonkes

Charity Nonkes bridges Indigenous Knowledge and Western science in sea lamprey management, collaborating with the Saugeen Ojibway Nation to rehabilitate Denny's Dam.

Member Spotlight

Rebecca Nixon

Rebecca Nixon, an environmental social scientist, studies the social dimensions of climate change and coastal community resilience, focusing on revitalization in Great Lakes Areas of Concern.

Member Spotlight

Richard Micka

Richard Micka serves as chair of the International Wildlife Refuge Alliance, fostering community engagement and outdoor experiences at the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge.

Member Spotlight

Simon Freeman

Simon Freeman, an undergraduate at Lake Superior State University, conducts research on larval lake whitefish, cisco, and zooplankton in the Great Lakes as part of his senior thesis.

Member Spotlight

Sovannara Uk

Sovannara Uk studies phosphorus dynamics and primary production in Tonle Sap Lake, Cambodia, highlighting the need for transdisciplinary collaboration in data-deficient tropical ecosystems.

Research Brief

Filamentous algal blooms in clear lakes

Unexpected filamentous algal blooms are emerging in clear lakes worldwide, driven by invasive mussels, nutrient pollution, and climate change, posing a new threat to littoral habitats.

Research Brief

Wisconsin climate change report showcases impacts and solutions for coastal communities

The Wisconsin Initiative on Climate Change Impacts report details how warming temperatures and extreme precipitation are altering Great Lakes coastal ecology and threatening communities.

Research Brief

An Experimental Biophysical Nowcast-Forecast System for Lakes Michigan and Huron

A new experimental biophysical nowcast-forecast system helps researchers locate transient productivity hot spots in the dynamic nearshore zones of Lakes Michigan and Huron.

Research Brief

Diet and growth of larval coregonines in the nearshore waters of Lake Michigan-Huron

Larval cisco grow faster than larval lake whitefish in low-prey nearshore waters of Lake Michigan-Huron, potentially explaining their recent resurgence while whitefish decline.