Plants as regional indicators of Great Lakes coastal wetland health

Abstract

In this paper we explore the potential for developing plant-based indicators for key dimensions of wetland stress, including 1) hydrologic flow modification (through water-level regulation and diking), 2) water quality degradation (through nutrient loading and sedimentation), and 3) ecological structural breakdown or physical degradation. Based on a review of the literature, we identify species or species groups that potentially function as indicators of individual dimensions of anthropogenic stress and propose floristic metrics for monitoring wetland health. We then examine the utility of these metrics for evaluating wetland disturbance at both regional and local scales, utilizing a database of wetland sites spanning the entire U.S. Great Lakes shoreline. We conclude that multiple dimensions of wetland disturbance can be measured based on coverage values of key aquatic plants.