Type of habitat: The Inner Long Point Bay
This is an area of some 7,800 ha bounded by the mainland, a causeway along the eastern boundary of Big Creek linking the mainland to the cottage community on Long Point, and the Long Point complex itself. The Bay is uniformly rather shallow (between 1m - 2m in depth) with some deeper areas of up to 12m towards the more open waters of Lake Erie.
Main species: The relatively shallow water combined with the nutrients coming in from Big Creek which drains into the bay have resulted in a rich plant growth. Eighteen species of submerged macrophytes have been identified, the most widespread of which are musk grass (Chara vulgaris), Eurasian milfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum), wild celery (Vallisneria americana), and naids (Najas flexilis. Other common species include pondweed (Potamogeton 8 spp.), coontail (Ceratophyllum demersum), smartweed (Polygonum 5 spp.), and water weed (Elodea canadensis). Emergent plants of particular importance for waterfowl include burr reed (Sparganium eurycarpum) and bulrush (Scirpus acutus). There is an extensive sports fishery for centrarchids (Micropterus dolomieui, M. salmoides, Ambloplites rupestris, Lepomis gibbosus), percids (Perca flavescens), and esocids (Esox lucius).
Human impacts: There is a certain amount of channel dredging to maintain boat access to marinas and cottages. Other water-based recreation (besides fishing) includes sailing, power boating, and water skiing. Two accidentally introduced species of molluscs, zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) and quagga mussel (D. bugensis), colonized the Inner Bay rapidly from 1990 to 1992 but have subsequently declined in density and abundance.
Relevant habitat management practices: Hunting and fishing is subject to government regulation. The distribution of macrophytes and dreissenids, and relationships with waterfowl feeding behaviour in the Inner Bay, have been monitored over the past decade.
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