| Natural saline wetlands are rare in the temperate regions of the United States. In Michigan, only two high quality saline wetlands are known to exist. One of the remaining wetlands located near the Maple River in Clinton County, Michigan was surveyed in this study. This unique habitat supported two species of native halophytic plant species, Schoenoplectus americanus and Eleocharis parvula, which are considered extremely threatened in Michigan. E. parvula was present at the seep only in the second year, but S. americanus occupied an area of 3200 m 2 and was positively correlated to conductivity, Na, Cl and depth to water table, but negatively associated with reactive phosphorus, nitrate and spring water depth.; The created saline wetland had three connected ponds with increasing salinity in each pond. The pond with the greatest diversity of invertebrates and algae had the least salinity. Phragmites australis was the most common emergent plant around the created wetland and birds were the most common vertebrates present.; To increase the diversity at the created wetland, four emergent salt tolerant plants, S. americanus, S. pungens, P. australis and Typha angustifolia were transplanted to the created saline wetland and a control fresh water wetland (except for P. australis ). All species grew well at the control wetland, but only S. americanus increased in number of stems at the created saline wetland. |
