Great Lakes
More Information
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| The Great Lakes ecozone |
General description
The Great Lakes cover 9% of the province and, in their entirety, contain almost 20% of the Earth's freshwater. The lakes support thousands of wetlands, and a variety of aquatic and terrestrial organisms.
Ontarians are responsible for the care of large portions of Lake Superior, Lake Huron (including Georgian Bay), Lake St. Clair, Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, and the St. Lawrence River. Transportation, fishing and cottaging are major human activities on the Great Lakes. A significant number of industries are located on or near the shores of the Great Lakes.
There are 49 ports on the Ontario portion of the Great Lakes shoreline through which millions of tonnes of cargo are shipped each year.
Examples of Species found in this Zone:
| Plants: | Pitcher’s Thistle, Swamp Rose-mallow, Moss Campion |
| Insects: | Lake Huron Locust |
| Birds: | Ring-billed Gull, Caspian Tern |
| Fish: | Lake Herring, Lake Sturgeon |
| Amphibians: | Fowler’s Toad, Mudpuppy |
| Reptiles: | Lake Erie Watersnake, Map Turtle |
| Molluscs: | Wavy-rayed Lampmussel |
Graphic
Ministry of Natural Resources
