Comparing Fish Communities Among Different Wetland Types within the Huron-Erie River Corridor

Fish communities were compared between four different wetland types within the Huron-Erie River Corridor.  Wetland types included riverine delta (St. Clair Flats), lacustrine protected embayment (North Maumee Bay), connecting channel (Detroit River 2004, 2006, and 2008), and drowned river mouth (Huron River Estuary, Swan Creek Estuary).  Data was collected in 2004-2008 using day and night electrofishing, fyke nets, and seining.  Species richness was greatest within the St. Clair Flats where 56 species were captured.  A total of 41, 54, and 51 species were captured within the Detroit River in 2004, 2006 and 2008 respectively.  A total of 38 species were captured in the Swan Creek Estuary, followed by 37 in the Huron River Estuary, and 35 in North Maumee Bay.  Cyprinidae and Atherinidae were the most represented families in the St. Clair Flats composing 81 percent of the catch.  Fish composition in the Detroit River varied by year.  Cyprinidae composed between 42-62 percent of the catch each year, Centrarchidae, Catostomidae, Percidae and Gobiidae contributed significantly to the catch dependent upon year.  Moronidae, Centrarchidae, and Clupidae composed 71 percent of the catch in North Maumee Bay.  The Huron River Estuary and Swan Creek Estuary were dominated by Centrarchidae, Cyprinidae, and Clupidae composing 76 and 88 percent of the catch.  Preliminary analysis suggests species composition between riverine and connecting channel wetland types are similar, containing high species diversity and composed mainly of Cyprinidae.  The lacustrine protected embayment and drowned river mouth sites contained lower species diversity and greater compositions of Centrarchidae and Clupidae.