Examination of coastal development and its effects on wetland ecosystems in the Les Cheneaux Islands, Mackinac County, Michigan.

Abstract

The overall effects of coastal development on wetland areas seems to be agreed upon by the scientific community; however, there is little understanding of the exact correlation between habitat alteration and degrees of development. In the past, studies have been primarily qualitative and descriptive in their assessment of habitat changes due to coastal development. This study attempts to quantify degrees of coastal development, in terms of impermeable surface area (ISA), as well as changes in the aquatic ecosystem. Using this data, an attempt will be made to find a relationship between ISA and changes in the aquatic ecosystems. It is the conclusion of this study, that ISA does not relate to the CPUE and species richness in the Les Cheneaux area (in this small scale study). These results show, when compared to other studies, that there may be a threshold effect where wetlands continue to be productive until a point is reached where coastal development stresses the ecosystem to a point of decline. Ultimately, coastal development cannot be prevented because economic benefit is too great a temptation for us. The best we can do is to continue developing already damaged coastlines and preserve the wetlands that are still relatively untouched. It may be best to sacrifice some wetlands to save others, than to risk crossing the threshold and destroy them all.