Great Lakes Nearshore Habitat Science

Humans have dramatically altered the Great Lakes basin of North America through agricultural practices, urban development, industrial and commercial activities, and introductions of non-native species (Christie et al. 1987, Steedman and Regier 1987, Edsall 1996). Stressors associated with these changes have overwhelmed natural ecosystem processes throughout the basin (Regier and Hartman 1973, Steedman and Regier 1987). The nearshore zone, in particular, has been heavily impacted by chemical pollution, organic enrichment, and physical alterations resulting from intense industrialization and urbanization (Krieger et al. 1992). This is of great concern because fish diversity in Great Lakes littoral areas is high (Brazner 1997), and nearshore areas are important to the life histories of most native Great Lakes fishes, including many that are primarily pelagic (Goodyear et al. 1982; Lane et al. 1996a,b). This is also true for the many coastal wetland, benthic, and planktonic organisms that comprise the lower portion of food web and provide other important ecosystem services. This trend toward habitat degradation is expected to continue, necessitating the implementation of enlightened management strategies to ensure the future sustainabili ty of remaining nearshore habitats critical to maintaining native biodiversity. Until recently, little attention has been given to the study, management, protection, and restoration of Great Lakes nearshore habitats. For example, littoral zone fishes in the Great Lakes have been poorly studied due to the logistical difficulties involved in conducting surveys and a perception of nearshore areas as “wet deserts” that support few species of interest (Brazner and Beals 1997). In comparison with most other freshwater ecosystems (e.g., inland lakes, wetlands, streams, and rivers), our understanding of Great Lakes nearshore and coastal margin habitats is in its infancy. What is meant by critical nearshore habitat is a challenge to define and measure. The spatial and temporal scales at which individual aquatic organisms interact within their environs on a day-to-day basis are J. Great Lakes Res. 31 (Supplement 1):1–5 Internat. Assoc. Great Lakes Res., 2005