Abiotic (Physical) Characteristics of Habitat

Transcription

1 Abiotic (Physical) Characteristics of Habitat Habitat Substrate (Geology) (Climate) Energy Water Mass (Hydrology) Mackey 2005 Energy oscillatory and unidirectional flows, shear stress, turbulence. Substrate bedrock, composition, texture, hardness, stability, porosity, permeability, roughness. Water Mass depth, temperature, turbidity, nutrients, contaminants, and dissolved oxygen. Habitat when physical characteristics meet the needs of a species or biological community for a given life stage. Aquatic Habitats are Three Dimensional and Dynamic Climate Change will Impact Physical Characteristics of the System MSU Climate Change Symposium 2007

2 Physical Integrity Physical integrity is achieved when the physical components of a system and the natural processes, pathways,, and landscapes that structure, organize, define, and regulate them correspond to undisturbed natural conditions and are mutually supportive and self- sustaining. Mackey 2005 Sustainable processes build sustainable ecosystems. Protection and restoration of self-sustaining sustaining natural processes, pathways, and landscapes will yield sustainable waters, support sustainable ecosystem functions, and achieve long-term chemical, physical, biological, and ecological integrity. Mackey 2005 MSU Climate Change Symposium 2007

3 Importance of Physical Integrity Native species, biological communities, and the ecosystem as a whole respond to changes in physical integrity as they have adapted to natural physical and hydrologic conditions in order to t maximize benefits to themselves and to the ecosystem. Improvements to physical integrity (i.e., restoration of natural physical and hydrologic conditions) should result in improved ecosystem function, resiliency, and sustainability adaptive approach to restoration. Anthropogenic impacts will directly affect the physical integrity y of the Great Lakes basin, which will in turn affect the Great Lakes habitats and ecosystem. Most restoration activities manipulate physical characteristics of the system (i.e., move dirt and water). MSU Climate Change Symposium 2007

4 How are Hydrologic Processes connected to the Ecosystem? Hydrologic processes - flow, energy, ability to do work Flow Paths and Connectivity Watershed-Tributary Watershed-Lake Tributary-Lake Watershed Floodplain Ecological benefits provided as water moves through the system Lake

5 Processes Mechanism(s) by which energy, water, and materials are conveyed through a system. Mackey 2005 Physical Processes mechanisms that transfer energy, water, and materials across and through the landscape into the Great Lakes Biological Processes mechanisms that transfer of energy and nutrients upwards through the food web. Tributaries Groundwater Coastal Margin/Nearshore Open-Lake

6 Lake Erie Binational Map Project Dynamic habitat classification system Multiple geospatial data layers 3-Dimensional What are the processes, characteristics, or variables that define habitat? Water Mass Energy Substrate Environmental Zones based on dominant physical processes and hydrogeomorphic pathways

7 Nearshore Zones Boundary Definitions Coastal Margin Zone (Littoral Processes) Shoreward limit: High water mark, including the shoreline physical attribute (e.g., beach, breakwall, bluff, etc.) Lakeward limit: 3 m isobath Nearshore/Open Water Zone (Open Water Processes) Shoreward limit: 3 m isobath Lakeward limit: 15 m isobath

8 Littoral Transport (cells) Gyres Tributary Zones of Influence Nearshore Open Lake Open Lake/Offshore Coastal Margin

9 Environmental Zones Environmental Zone Western Basin (km 2 ) Central Basin (km 2 ) Eastern Basin (km 2 ) Lake Erie (km 2 ) Coastal Margin 457 (1.8%) 160 (0.6%) 258 (1.0%) 875 (3.4%) Nearshore Open Lake 4380 (17.0%) 2270 (8.8%) 1248 (4.9%) 7898 (30.7 %) Open Water Offshore 0.6 (0.1%) (49.1%) 4327 (16.7%) (65.9 %) Totals 4837 (18.8%) (58.5%) 5833 (22.7%) (100.0%) Data from Haltuch and Berkman (1999)

10 Lake Erie Coastal Margin and Nearshore Open Water Zones Environmental Zone Coastal Margin < 3 m Nearshore Open Water 3m 15 m Low Energy Area Embayments, tributary mouths, coastal wetland habitats Open water area - water depths greater than 10 m Limited Exposure Short Fetch Distance Fine-grained, soft substrates High Energy Area Open Coasts, island fringes Open water area - water depth less than 10 m, shallow reef complexes Open Exposure Long Fetch Distance Coarse-grained, hard substrates, bedrock

11 Low Energy High Energy 10 m 3 m 15 m Coastal Margin Low Energy Nearshore/Open Water

12 Challenges How do we protect and restore natural processes and the pathways and connections along which they act? How do we monitor and assess natural processes and pathways are our indicator suites or measures of success providing answers to the right questions? Change our way of thinking from a place-based focus to an integrated component, process, pathway, and connectivity-based approach. Tributary/Coastal Margin Lake Effect Zones Land Nearshore/Open Water Tributary Zones of Influence Lake Christie et al. 1986