The Ecological and Geological Response to the Introduction of a Nearshore Reef in Southern Lake Michigan.
The Great Lakes are highly susceptible to coastal erosion through weather events, high water levels, and wave action. The Rubble Ridges is an artificial reef system designed to be a dynamic, natural solution that prevents erosion and repairs the natural shoreline. The Rubble Ridges site was constructed in the summer of 2021 near Illinois Beach State Park in southwestern Lake Michigan. The intent of this study is to determine if a newly constructed nearshore artificial reef impacts the local sediment characteristics at the reef site, how the introduction of the reef affects the abundance and diversity of the community living there, and if these changes in sediment influence the utilization of the reef by the invertebrate community. This study provides a unique opportunity to observe the early years of a newly introduced structure in Lake Michigan through a geological and ecological lens.
