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Michigan dnr > wildlife viewing guide
> ecology: great lakes
Biodiversity | Succession | Food Web | Conservation | Carrying Capacity | Habitat | Endangered
Species |
The Great Lakes | Wetlands
The Great Lakes—"Sweet
Water Seas"
 The Great Lakes
are appropriately named, because together they form the largest body of fresh
water in the world. They have a total surface area of more than 94,000 square
miles—enough to completely cover Utah and
still have enough left over for Connecticut,
Delaware, and Rhode Island! The two peninsulas which
form the state of Michigan
are nearly surrounded by these “sweet water seas.” The lakes have tremendous
impact on the state’s climate and the wildlife species found here.
During winter, these huge lakes become very cold. Air moving
across the lakes in April and May is cooled by the chilly water before it
reaches land, delaying the onset of spring in the land near shore. By the end
of summer the opposite is true—the warm lakes slow the progress of autumn in
lakeshore areas. These lake effects give Michigan a slightly different climate than
neighboring states.
Centuries of constant wave action on the shores have formed
spectacular sand dunes on the western side of the Lower Peninsula and along
the windward shores of the Upper Peninsula.
These dunes support several plant and wildlife species found only in the Great Lakes area.
European explorers used the lakes’ easy access to the interior of
North America. Exploration of the lakes and
connecting rivers began in the mid-1600s as a potential route to the Pacific Ocean. Over the years, ease of commercial
transportation transformed the Great Lakes
region into a major industrial area. Many shipping ports here were among the
busiest in the world.
Michigan’s
geology provides numerous recreational opportunities. The variety of
ecosystems and abundance of water has made this state a destination spot for
campers, hikers, anglers, hunters, wildlife watchers, and photographers
throughout the world. Michigan truly is, as
the motto proclaims, the Great
Lakes State.
Find out more about the Great Lakes
at http://www.great-lakes.net/
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