| The traditional ‘hard engineering’ solutions to coastal erosion are losing popularity because of the devastating effect they have on the ecology of the coastal zone. Coastal marshes that once dominated the Great Lakes shoreline are becoming scarce. These wetlands provide food and habitat for many species of plants and animals and are integral to the ecological health of the region. Constructed wetlands pose a solution to both the problems of shoreline erosion and loss of coastal habitat. Emergent vegetation in the coastal zone has been shown to absorb wave energy and diminish shoreline erosion. In order to construct a viable wetland in a harsh coastal environment, the properties of naturally occurring coastal wetlands must be understood. To this end, seven natural, wave exposed wetlands were identified and studied. Each site was visited periodically over the course of one growing season to identify, measure and count emergent vegetation and to determine water depths in the plant zones. Substrate samples were collected and analysed for some sites.* (Abstract shortened by UMI.); *This dissertation is a compound document (contains both a paper copy and a CD as part of the dissertation). The CD requires the following system requirements: Adobe Acrobat; Microsoft Office. |
