First data on water mite (Acari, Hydrachnidia) assemblages of Point Rosa Marsh, Harrison Township, Michigan, USA,and their use as environmental bioindicators of aquatic health

Water mites are aquatic arachnids that have been used in Europe and Central America as bioindicators of ecological health various freshwater ecosystems (including bogs). can be found high densities the Laurentian Great Lakes adjacent habitats. Although they abundant, water generally not assessment habitats usually assigned to “other” category macroinvertebrate assessments. This is despite evidence their utility bioindicators. In present study we consider environmental Point Rosa marsh, a threatened marsh on US side transboundary Lake St. Clair. The abundance Marsh increased from 2017 2019 lake levels increased. increasing Clair considered negative event due loss irreplaceable coastal habitat by erosion with potential economic impacts, this indicates mite populations during same period (2017 2019). As result our we: update biodiversity new records compared last report over 45 years ago, first assemblages at Metropark demonstration Lakes.