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0000-0003-4035-050X
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Research Topics
In Research Link Australia (RLA), "Research Topics" refer to ANZSRC FOR and SEO codes. These topics are either sourced from ANZSRC FOR and SEO codes listed in researchers' related grants or generated by a large language model (LLM) based on their publications.
Top 5 Research Topics
ANZSRC Field of Research (FoR)
Freshwater Ecology | Ecology | Environmental Science and Management | Population And Ecological Genetics | Fisheries Sciences | Environmental Management | Genetics | Conservation and Biodiversity | Landscape Ecology | Fisheries Management | Natural Resource Management | Life Histories (Incl. Population Ecology) | Evaluation Of Management Strategies | Freshwater Ecology
ANZSRC Socio-Economic Objective (SEO)
Ecosystem Assessment and Management of Fresh, Ground and Surface Water Environments | Water Allocation and Quantification | Land and water management | Fisheries - Recreational | Expanding Knowledge in the Environmental Sciences | Conserving Natural Heritage | Fisheries—recreational | Fish | Coastal and Estuarine Water Management |
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Publications
Do invasive eastern gambusia (Gambusia holbrooki) shape wetland fish assemblage structure in south-eastern Australia?
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2012
DOI: 10.1071/MF12019
Abstract: Defining the ecological impacts conferred by invasive fishes provides a framework for evaluating the feasibility of control efforts in invaded waterways, and for predicting the consequences of future incursions. Eastern gambusia (Gambusia holbrooki) is a remarkably successful invader of freshwater systems worldwide, with the capacity to detrimentally impact native fishes both directly (e.g. competition, predation, agonistic interactions) and indirectly (e.g. triggering trophic cascades). Here, we modelled the influence of eastern gambusia and several environmental covariates on fish species ersity, abundance and condition based on quantitative survey data collected from 93 wetlands in south-eastern Australia. We predicted that small-bodied, wetland specialist species sharing dietary- and habitat-niches with eastern gambusia would be most severely impacted, and that environmental stressors associated with wetland drying during late summer would magnify these impacts. Eastern gambusia influenced the occurrence, abundance and/or body condition of most common wetland species however, the direction and level of impact appeared dependent on both biotic and environmental forces. From these results, we postulate that generalist life-history strategies that permit niche-segregation may release some native species from competitive redatory pressures, allowing coexistence with eastern gambusia in resource-limited, environmentally harsh habitats, whilst specialist species that occupy narrower ecological niches may be less resistant.
Towards deeper collaboration: stories of Indigenous interests, aspirations, partnerships and leadership in aquatic research and management
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 05-10-2016
Timing, frequency and environmental conditions associated with mainstem-tributary movement by a lowland river fish, golden perch (Macquaria ambigua)
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 02-05-2014
Extinct habitat, extant species: lessons learned from conservation recovery actions for the Pedder galaxias (Galaxias pedderensis) in south-west Tasmania, Australia
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2013
DOI: 10.1071/MF12257
Abstract: The Pedder galaxias (Galaxias pedderensis) from Lake Pedder, Tasmania, Australia, is one of the world’s most threatened freshwater fish. The flooding of Lake Pedder in 1972 for hydroelectric power generation caused a major change to the ecosystem that initiated an irreversible decline in the Pedder galaxias within its natural range. The flooding inundated another headwater catchment and native and introduced fish from this catchment colonised the impoundment. Numbers of the Pedder galaxias declined markedly as the impoundment matured and as colonising fish proliferated. Surveys in the 1980s confirmed the parlous state of the population, highlighting the need for conservation intervention. Several urgent conservation actions were undertaken to save the species from extinction. Translocation was considered the most important recovery action, given the critically low numbers in the wild. The species is now extinct from its natural range and is known from only two translocated populations. The conservation program, and specifically the translocation recovery action, saved the Pedder galaxias from extinction. The conservation management was extremely challenging since rapidly declining fish numbers needed timely and critical decisions to underpin the future of the fish. Recommendations are provided arising from this case study to guide conservation of freshwater fish in similar circumstances.
A moving target—incorporating knowledge of the spatial ecology of fish into the assessment and management of freshwater fish populations
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 22-03-2016
DOI: 10.1007/S10661-016-5228-0
Abstract: Freshwater fish move vertically and horizontally through the aquatic landscape for a variety of reasons, such as to find and exploit patchy resources or to locate essential habitats (e.g., for spawning). Inherent challenges exist with the assessment of fish populations because they are moving targets. We submit that quantifying and describing the spatial ecology of fish and their habitat is an important component of freshwater fishery assessment and management. With a growing number of tools available for studying the spatial ecology of fishes (e.g., telemetry, population genetics, hydroacoustics, otolith microchemistry, stable isotope analysis), new knowledge can now be generated and incorporated into biological assessment and fishery management. For ex le, knowing when, where, and how to deploy assessment gears is essential to inform, refine, or calibrate assessment protocols. Such information is also useful for quantifying or avoiding bycatch of imperiled species. Knowledge of habitat connectivity and usage can identify critically important migration corridors and habitats and can be used to improve our understanding of variables that influence spatial structuring of fish populations. Similarly, demographic processes are partly driven by the behavior of fish and mediated by environmental drivers. Information on these processes is critical to the development and application of realistic population dynamics models. Collectively, biological assessment, when informed by knowledge of spatial ecology, can provide managers with the ability to understand how and when fish and their habitats may be exposed to different threats. Naturally, this knowledge helps to better evaluate or develop strategies to protect the long-term viability of fishery production. Failure to understand the spatial ecology of fishes and to incorporate spatiotemporal data can bias population assessments and forecasts and potentially lead to ineffective or counterproductive management actions.
Otolith chemistry delineates the influence of natal origin, dispersal and flow on the population dynamics of golden perch (Macquaria ambigua) in a regulated river
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 29-06-2021
DOI: 10.1071/MF20280
Abstract: For riverine fishes threatened by fragmentation and flow modification, effective management requires an understanding of when and where key life history processes (spawning, recruitment and movement) take place. The structural and chemical properties of otoliths provide a unique means to recount a fish’s life in time and space. We investigated the age structure of the migratory, pelagic-spawning golden perch (Macquaria ambigua) in the Murray River, Australia, and used water and otolith 87Sr/86Sr ratios to delineate the natal origin and movement of fish from discrete cohorts. Water 87Sr/86Sr was distinct among the Darling River (a major tributary) and lower and mid-Murray River. Otolith chemistry revealed golden perch collected in the lower Murray River were progeny of spawning in either the Murray or Darling rivers, during years characterised by within-channel rises in flow, or in both rivers in a year of overbank flooding. Movement of juvenile fish from the Darling River substantially influenced population structure in the lower Murray River, whereby post-flood population growth was largely due to the immigration of age-1+ fish. This study demonstrates the potential importance of tributary recruitment sources, dispersal and connectivity on main-stem population dynamics and the utility of otolith chemistry for spatially reconciling population structure and the life histories of freshwater fishes.
Threatened fishes of the world: Galaxias johnstoni Scott, 1936 (Galaxiidae)
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 10-1998
Using telemetry data to develop conceptual models of movement to support the management of riverine fishes
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2017
DOI: 10.1071/MF16415
Abstract: As human demands for freshwater resources increase, there is growing concern for the long-term viability of native fish populations globally. Understanding the movements of fish, and how these are influenced by or respond to environmental changes, is a critical knowledge requirement for effective management however, limited information on the ecological requirements of many fish species currently hinders our ability to sustainably manage fish populations. In this paper, we use four native Australian fish species with contrasting life histories as case studies to demonstrate how data derived from acoustic and radiotelemetry studies can be synthesised into conceptual diagrams to help scientists and managers develop targeted and effective conservation management strategies. Commonalities in the observed movement patterns were observed among the species despite their contrasting life histories, but there were also important differences that need to be recognised in the development of species-specific conservation management strategies. We conclude by discussing how such information has been or could be incorporated into conservation management actions, including the implementation of environmental flow releases and the identification of critical habitats.
Restoring habitat and cultural practice in Australia’s oldest and largest traditional aquaculture system
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 29-03-2016
Analysis of otolith 87Sr/86Sr to elucidate salinity histories of Nurseryfish Kurtus gulliveri (Perciformes:Kurtidae) in a tropical lowland river in northern Australia
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
Date: 06-2015
DOI: 10.1086/681022
Evaluation and refinement of a fish movement model for a tropical Australian stream subject to mine contaminant egress
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 20-01-2023
DOI: 10.1007/S10641-022-01381-Y
Abstract: The impacts of mine contaminants on ecological connectivity in rivers and streams are poorly documented globally. We used acoustic telemetry to evaluate and refine conceptual models of fish movement in Magela Creek, a stream in the wet-dry tropics of Australia. This creek receives wastewater discharge from a nearby uranium mine, and a secondary objective was to describe behavioural responses of fish to one such discharge event. Of 55 fish (black bream Hephaestus fuliginosus , saratoga Scleropages jardinii , sharp-nose grunter Syncomistes butleri ) tagged in dry season refuge pools 18 km upstream of the mine lease area (RPA [Ranger Project Area]), 16 (29%) moved downstream after the first wet season flows, using the RPA as habitat for 3–5 months before moving upstream to their previous locations as flows receded. Of 39 fish (spangled perch Leiopotherapon unicolor , barred grunter Amniataba percoides , black catfish Neosilurus ater ) tagged ~ 8–12 km downstream of the RPA in the late wet season, only two were subsequently detected in the RPA. Direct and camera-based observations of 12 species of upstream-migrating fish during mine-water discharge in the late wet season showed no evidence of mine-water avoidance. Our results demonstrate that Magela Creek provides wet season habitat for fish within the RPA and acts as a migration pathway that connects lowland reaches and floodplains to upstream dry season refuges. Use by fish of waterbodies within the RPA highlights the need to manage the site to ensure that future contaminant egress and water quality do not adversely affect fish migration and habitat suitability.
Influence of streamflow on spawning-related movements of golden perch Macquaria ambigua in south-eastern Australia
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 13-10-2017
DOI: 10.1111/JFB.13160
Abstract: In this study, linkages were examined between movement and spawning behaviour for golden perch Macquaria ambigua in a lowland river by integrating acoustic telemetry and egg and larval drift s ling over 4 years. Movement was strongly seasonal, being most prevalent during the spawning season (spring to early summer), and occurred primarily downstream into the lower river reaches during elevated flows. A very strong association was found between the occurrence of spawning and long-distance M. ambigua movement. The results also revealed that targeted environmental water allocation can promote movement and spawning of this species. By integrating multiple analytical approaches and focusing on key life-history events, this study provides an improved picture of the life history and flow requirements of M. ambigua. The findings can help guide the development of effective environmental flow recommendations.
First detection ofEdwardsiella ictaluri(Proteobacteria: Enterobacteriaceae) in wild Australian catfish
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 24-08-2018
DOI: 10.1111/JFD.12696
Abstract: The bacterium Edwardsiella ictaluri is considered to be one of the most significant pathogens of farmed catfish in the United States of America and has also caused mortalities in farmed and wild fishes in many other parts of the world. E. ictaluri is not believed to be present in wild fish populations in Australia, although it has previously been detected in imported ornamental fishes held in quarantine facilities. In an attempt to confirm freedom from the bacterium in Australian native fishes, we undertook a risk-based survey of wild catfishes from 15 sites across northern Australia. E. ictaluri was detected by selective culturing, followed by DNA testing, in Wet Tropics tandan (Tandanus tropicanus) from the Tully River, at a prevalence of 0.40 (95% CI 0.21-0.61). The bacterium was not found in fishes s led from any of the other 14 sites. This is the first report of E. ictaluri in wild fishes in Australia.
Human effects on ecological connectivity in aquatic ecosystems: Integrating scientific approaches to support management and mitigation
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2015
DOI: 10.1016/J.SCITOTENV.2015.04.034
Abstract: Understanding the drivers and implications of anthropogenic disturbance of ecological connectivity is a key concern for the conservation of bio ersity and ecosystem processes. Here, we review human activities that affect the movements and dispersal of aquatic organisms, including damming of rivers, river regulation, habitat loss and alteration, human-assisted dispersal of organisms and climate change. Using a series of case studies, we show that the insight needed to understand the nature and implications of connectivity, and to underpin conservation and management, is best achieved via data synthesis from multiple analytical approaches. We identify four key knowledge requirements for progressing our understanding of the effects of anthropogenic impacts on ecological connectivity: autecology population structure movement characteristics and environmental tolerance henotypic plasticity. Structuring empirical research around these four broad data requirements, and using this information to parameterise appropriate models and develop management approaches, will allow for mitigation of the effects of anthropogenic disturbance on ecological connectivity in aquatic ecosystems.
Use of otolith chemistry and acoustic telemetry to elucidate migratory contingents in barramundi Lates calcarifer
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2017
DOI: 10.1071/MF16177
Abstract: Migration is a fundamental aspect of the life history of many fish and must be well understood for targeted conservation and management. We used acoustic telemetry and otolith 87Sr/86Sr analysis, in conjunction with annual ageing, to study intraspecific variation in barramundi Lates calcarifer migration in the Northern Territory, Australia. Acoustic transmitters were implanted into 25 barramundi (420–1010-mm total length (TL) median 510mm TL) from freshwater reaches of the South Alligator River and their movements tracked over years. 87Sr/86Sr transect analysis was also conducted on otoliths of 67 barramundi from the Daly, Mary, South Alligator and Roper rivers. Acoustic telemetry showed that most fish remained in fresh water across wet and dry seasons. Higher rates of movement occurred during the wet season and a minority of fish moved into the estuary during high flows. Otolith chemistry analyses revealed high ersity in salinity histories among in iduals. We integrated the telemetry and otolith chemistry data to examine migration as a function of the stage of sexual development, and have proposed a revised life history model that identifies three migratory contingents. We conclude that anthropogenic disturbance, including modified river hydrology, has the potential to alter the frequency of life history contingents in barramundi populations.
Low-cost device for retrieval of moorings deployed with underwater remote release systems
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2018
DOI: 10.1071/MF17189
Abstract: Underwater acoustic and timed-release systems are commonly deployed with sensors and other equipment for ecological and oceanographic research in aquatic environments. These systems allow equipment deployed at depth to be remotely released from their moorings for retrieval. However, a current limitation is that most systems do not incorporate mechanisms for retrieval of the mooring anchor and attachments (e.g. shackles, cable). Herein we provide a detailed description and evaluation of a ‘retrieval pod’ that can be attached directly to remotely released underwater devices to facilitate mooring retrieval. The system was tested using acoustic release telemetry receivers under field conditions in a large estuary in the Northern Territory, Australia. Six receivers fitted with pods were retrieved from the field after two consecutive 6-month deployments (12 retrievals in total) with no failed mooring retrievals. Although our tests were confined to shallow depths ( m), it should be straightforward to modify the system for use in deeper water by increasing the spool capacity. The retrieval pods are reusable, require minimal construction skills and can be assembled from basic equipment available at most hardware or boating stores, making them a convenient and low-cost option for the retrieval of moorings deployed with remote release systems.
Enriched stable isotope marking of juvenile golden perch (Macquaria ambigua) otoliths
Publisher: Canadian Science Publishing
Date: 02-2008
DOI: 10.1139/F08-010
Abstract: Stocking of native fish is a standard practice to aid in the recovery and enhancement of depleted populations. However, evaluating the effectiveness of these stocking programs has been hindered because of difficulty in distinguishing hatchery from wild fish, especially for species that are stocked as small, fragile fingerlings. Stable isotopes offer the potential to chemically mark fish with multiple marks that are distinct from each other and from natural signatures. Golden perch (Macquaria ambigua) fingerlings were reared in water enriched in 137 Ba and combinations of 137 Ba and 86 Sr for various lengths of time. Ba and Sr isotopic ratios in the otoliths were determined using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. Fish exposed to increased levels of 137 Ba had lower 138 Ba/ 137 Ba ratios in their otoliths relative to the natural ratio of control fish and were significantly different in fish exposed to at least 5 µg·L -1 for 8 days or to 15 µg·L -1 for 4 days. Furthermore, eight unique signatures were produced in fish reared in combinations of 137 Ba (0–5 µg·L -1 ) and 86 Sr (0–100 µg·L -1 ) for 24 days. Our results suggest that immersion in water enriched in specific stable isotopes could be an effective means of marking hatchery-reared fish for stock enhancement.
Threatened fishes of the world: Galaxias fontanus Fulton, 1978 (Galaxiidae)
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 09-1998
System-specific variability in Murray Cod and Golden Perch maturation and growth influences fisheries management options
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 12-2015
Muddy waters: An assessment of the suitability of zygocardiac ossicles for direct age estimation in the Giant mud crab Scylla serrata
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 15-11-2018
DOI: 10.1002/LOM3.10291
Use of otolith chemical signatures to estimate carp recruitment sources in the mid-Murray River, Australia
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 2006
DOI: 10.1002/RRA.941
Is the home range concept compatible with the movements of two species of lowland river fish?
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 03-2004
Intraspecific variation in the growth and survival of juvenile fish exposed to Eucalyptus leachate
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 12-09-2013
DOI: 10.1002/ECE3.757
Trait‐based ecology of fishes: A quantitative assessment of literature trends and knowledge gaps using topic modelling
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 22-08-2019
DOI: 10.1111/FAF.12399
Movements associated with home-range establishment by two species of lowland river fish
Publisher: Canadian Science Publishing
Date: 11-2004
DOI: 10.1139/F04-151
Abstract: In iduals that occupy restricted home ranges for long periods have little chance to s le surrounding habitats and may only be able to respond to changes in the distribution of resources at very local scales. Processes leading to the selection of a home range, therefore, potentially have an important bearing on in idual fitness and, ultimately, on population structure. In this study, movements associated with the establishment of home ranges by golden perch (Macquaria ambigua) and common carp (Cyprinus carpio) in an Australian lowland river were examined using radiotelemetry. To examine behaviour associated with exploration and settlement into new home ranges, fish were artificially translocated into an unfamiliar river section. Although there was substantial intraspecific variation in patterns of movement, all fish tracked over the entire study period eventually settled into restricted home ranges. Several fish of both species either moved away from established home ranges and settled in new areas, or undertook large-scale movements and subsequently returned to the original home range. It is suggested that such movements may provide a mechanism by which fish can reap the benefits of home-range occupation whilst still being able to respond to changes in the distributions of spatially and temporally dynamic resources.
Nuptial coloration varies with ambient light environment in a freshwater fish
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 21-10-2010
DOI: 10.1111/J.1420-9101.2010.02149.X
Abstract: Visual signals play a vital role in many animal communication systems. Signal design, however, often varies within species, raising evolutionarily important questions concerning the maintenance of phenotypic ersity. We analysed nuptial colour variation within and among nine populations of southern pygmy perch (Nannoperca australis Günther) along an environmental light gradient. Within populations, larger males were redder and blacker, and better-condition males were blacker. Among populations, red colour was positively correlated with the amount of orange-red light present, suggesting that males are likely optimizing signal conspicuousness by producing proportionally larger and redder patches in broad spectrum environments with more orange-red light. Signal contrast, in this regard, is maximized when red colour, appearing bright because of the prevalence of red wavelengths, is viewed against the water-column background. Together, our results are concordant with the sensory drive hypothesis selection favours signal adaptations or signal plasticity to ensure communication efficacy is maximized in different light environments.
The complete mitochondrial genome of the black jewfish Protonibea diacanthus (Perciformes: Sciaenidae)
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 19-05-2016
DOI: 10.3109/19401736.2014.915538
Abstract: We describe the complete mitochondrial genome of the black Jewfish Protonibea diacanthus. It was assembled from approximately 1.6 million reads produced by Ion Torrent next generation sequencing. The complete genome was 16,521 bp in length consisting of 13 protein-coding regions, 22 tRNA, 12S and 16S rRNA as well as two non-coding regions. The A+T base content (52.8%) is similar to other teleosts.
Strong population structure deduced from genetics, otolith chemistry and parasite abundances explains vulnerability to localized fishery collapse in a large Sciaenid fish, Protonibea diacanthus
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 12-07-2017
DOI: 10.1111/EVA.12499
Recruitment sources and dispersal of an invasive fish in a large river system as revealed by otolith chemistry analysis
Publisher: Canadian Science Publishing
Date: 07-2013
Abstract: The contributions of nursery habitats to recruitment of non-native common carp (Cyprinus carpio) were estimated via analysis of water and otolith 87 Sr/ 86 Sr and otolith trace element concentrations (Mg:Ca, Mn:Ca, Sr:Ca, Ba:Ca) over 3 years in the Lachlan River, Australia. Water s les and otoliths of postlarval carp were analyzed to characterize 87 Sr/ 86 Sr and multi-elemental signatures of nursery habitats. Considerable temporal variation occurred in both water 87 Sr/ 86 Sr and otolith multi-elemental signatures, which limited our ability to directly match water and otolith 87 Sr/ 86 Sr in nurseries of the lower catchment. However, spatial variation in multi-elemental signatures was sufficient to allow accurate classification of nurseries within years. Assignment analysis of young-of-year fish suggested that several wetland and floodplain systems made significant contributions to young-of-year recruitment in the lower catchment. These contributions were strongly influenced by river flows and water management. Nurseries contributed fewer recruits to the main channel as distance from the nursery increased. Fish from the upper catchment originated from local sources, and there was no evidence of mixing of recruits between the upper and lower catchments. We conclude that identification of recruitment “hotspots” via otolith chemical analysis can assist in developing strategies to control invasive fishes in large river networks.
The future for managing recreational fisheries in the Murray-Darling Basin
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 03-2014
DOI: 10.1111/EMR.12096
Contribution of stocked fish to riverine populations of golden perch (Macquaria ambigua) in the Murray–Darling Basin, Australia
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2016
DOI: 10.1071/MF15037
Abstract: Stocking of native fishes is conducted to augment riverine fisheries in many parts of the world, yet most stocking activities are conducted without empirical information on their effectiveness or impacts. In the Murray–Darling Basin (MDB), Australia, stocking has been underway for several decades to maintain recreational fisheries. We stocked chemically tagged golden perch (Macquaria ambigua) fingerlings in three rivers to determine the proportions of stocked fish within populations of the species. Stocked sites were monitored for up to 5 years in the Murrumbidgee River, Edward River and Billabong Creek and non-stocked sites were monitored in the Murray River. Catch per unit effort of stocked year classes increased substantially in Billabong Creek, with stocked fish contributing 100 (2005), 79 (2006) and 92% (2007). Chemically tagged fish comprised 18–38% of the respective age classes in the Murrumbidgee and Edward rivers and there was little evidence of natural recruitment in the non-stocked Murray River. Tagged fish generally attained the legal minimum size within 4 years and had dispersed up to 60km from the original release location. Our results demonstrate that artificial stocking has the potential to strongly influence the abundance and population structure of golden perch in rivers of the MDB.
Low interbasin connectivity in a facultatively diadromous fish: evidence from genetics and otolith chemistry
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 18-02-2014
DOI: 10.1111/MEC.12661
Abstract: Southern smelts (Retropinna spp.) in coastal rivers of Australia are facultatively diadromous, with populations potentially containing in iduals with diadromous or wholly freshwater life histories. The presence of diadromous in iduals is expected to reduce genetic structuring between river basins due to larval dispersal via the sea. We use otolith chemistry to distinguish between diadromous and nondiadromous life histories and population genetics to examine interbasin connectivity resulting from diadromy. Otolith strontium isotope ((87) Sr:(86) Sr) transects identified three main life history patterns: hidromy, freshwater residency and estuarine/marine residency. Despite the potential for interbasin connectivity via larval mixing in the marine environment, we found unprecedented levels of genetic structure for an hidromous species. Strong hierarchical structure along putative taxonomic boundaries was detected, along with highly structured populations within groups using microsatellites (FST = 0.046-0.181), and mtDNA (ΦST = 0.498-0.816). The presence of strong genetic sub ision, despite the fact that many in iduals reside in saline water during their early life history, appears incongruous. However, analysis of multielemental signatures in the otolith cores of diadromous fish revealed strong discrimination between river basins, suggesting that diadromous fish spend their early lives within chemically distinct estuaries rather than the more homogenous marine environment, thus avoiding dispersal and maintaining genetic structure.
Climate change and its implications for Australia's freshwater fish
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2011
DOI: 10.1071/MF10308
Abstract: Freshwater environments and their fishes are particularly vulnerable to climate change because the persistence and quality of aquatic habitat depend heavily on climatic and hydrologic regimes. In Australia, projections indicate that the rate and magnitude of climate change will vary across the continent. We review the likely effects of these changes on Australian freshwater fishes across geographic regions encompassing a ersity of habitats and climatic variability. Commonalities in the predicted implications of climate change on fish included habitat loss and fragmentation, surpassing of physiological tolerances and spread of alien species. Existing anthropogenic stressors in more developed regions are likely to compound these impacts because of the already reduced resilience of fish assemblages. Many Australian freshwater fish species are adapted to variable or unpredictable flow conditions and, in some cases, this evolutionary history may confer resistance or resilience to the impacts of climate change. However, the rate and magnitude of projected change will outpace the adaptive capacities of many species. Climate change therefore seriously threatens the persistence of many of Australia’s freshwater fish species, especially of those with limited ranges or specific habitat requirements, or of those that are already occurring close to physiological tolerance limits. Human responses to climate change should be proactive and focus on maintaining population resilience through the protection of habitat, mitigation of current anthropogenic stressors, adequate planning and provisioning of environmental flows and the consideration of more interventionist options such as managed translocations.
Development and evaluation of methods for osmotic induction marking of golden perch Macquaria Ambigua with calcein and Alizarin Red S
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 04-2009
DOI: 10.1577/M07-224.1
Does localized control of invasive eastern gambusia (Poeciliidae: Gambusia holbrooki) increase population growth of generalist wetland fishes?
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 02-09-2014
DOI: 10.1111/AEC.12088
Where technology meets ecology: Acoustic telemetry in contemporary Australian aquatic research and management
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2017
DOI: 10.1071/MF17054
Abstract: Acoustic telemetry is used to investigate a erse suite of questions regarding the biology and ecology of a range of aquatic species, and is an important tool for fisheries and conversation management. Herein we present a brief review of the Australian acoustic telemetry literature in the context of key areas of progress, drawing from several recent studies and identifying areas for future progress. Acoustic telemetry has been increasingly used in Australia over the past decade. This has included substantial investment in a national acoustic array and the associated development of a national acoustic telemetry database that enables tag deployment and detection data to be shared among researchers (the Integrated Marine Observing System Animal Tracking Facility). Acoustic telemetry has contributed to important areas of management, including public safety, design and management of marine protected areas, the use of closures in fisheries management, informing environmental flow regimes and the impacts of fisheries enhancements, and is most powerful when used as a complementary tool. However, in idual variability in movement often confounds our ability to draw general conclusions when attempting to characterise broad-scale patterns, and more work is required to address this issue. This overview provides insight into the important role that acoustic telemetry plays in the research and management of Australian aquatic ecosystems. Application of the technology transcends aquatic environments and bureaucracies, and the patterns revealed are relevant to many of the contemporary challenges facing decision makers with oversight of aquatic populations or ecosystems.
Variability in Sr:Ca and Ba:Ca ratios in water and fish otoliths across an estuarine salinity gradient
Publisher: Inter-Research Science Center
Date: 26-08-2010
DOI: 10.3354/MEPS08703
Assessment of stocking effectiveness for Murray cod (Maccullochella peelii) and golden perch (Macquaria ambigua) in rivers and impoundments of south-eastern Australia
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2015
DOI: 10.1071/MF15230
Abstract: Stock enhancement is a management tool used for fishery recovery worldwide, yet the success of many stocking programs remains unquantified. Murray cod (Maccullochella peelii) and golden perch (Macquaria ambigua) are important Australian recreational target species that have experienced widespread decline. Stocking of these species has been undertaken for decades, with limited assessment of effectiveness. A batch marking and recapture approach was applied to assess stocked Murray cod and golden perch survival, contributions to wild fisheries, and condition in rivers and impoundments. Stocked fish were marked with calcein. Marked fish were detected during surveys undertaken 3 years and 10 months from initial marking, and it is probable that marks will persist beyond this time. The proportion of calcein marked fish in the population sub-s le whose age was equal to, or less than, the number of years since release, varied by 7–94% for Murray cod, and 9–98% for golden perch. Higher proportions of marked fish were found in impoundments than rivers. Marked Murray cod had significantly steeper length–weight relationships (i.e. higher weight at a given length) to unmarked fish. Our results show that application of methods for discriminating stocked and wild fish provides critical information for the development of adaptive, location-specific stocking strategies.
Tracking the resource pulse: Movement responses of fish to dynamic floodplain habitat in a tropical river
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 26-12-2020
Abstract: Natural river floodplains are among the Earth's most biologically erse and productive ecosystems but face a range of critical threats due to human disturbance. Understanding the ecological processes that support bio ersity and productivity in floodplain rivers is essential for their future protection and rehabilitation. Fish assemblage structure on tropical river floodplains is widely considered to be driven by dispersal limitation during the wet season and by environmental filtering and interspecific interactions during the dry season. However, the in idual-level movement behaviours (e.g. site attachment, nomadism, homing) that regulate dispersal of fish on floodplains are poorly understood. We combined radiotelemetry and remote sensing to examine the movement behaviour of two large-bodied fishes (barramundi Lates calcarifer, forktail catfish Neoarius leptaspis) over the flood cycle in a tropical river-floodplain system in northern Australia to: (a) quantify movement responses in relation to dynamic habitat resources at a landscape scale and (b) determine the extent of spatial 'reshuffling' of in idual fish following the wet season. Both species altered their behaviour rapidly in response to changes in the availability and distribution of aquatic habitat, with most in iduals undertaking extensive movements (up to ~27 km from the tagging location) on the inundated floodplain during the wet season. Although there was considerable in idual variation in movement patterns, overall barramundi distributions closely tracked the extent of floodplain primary productivity, whereas catfish distributions were most closely associated with the extent of flooded area. Most in iduals of both species exhibited homing back to previously occupied dry season refugia during the wet-to-dry transition, even though other potential refugia were available in closer proximity to wet season activity areas. We postulate that homing behaviour modulates temporal variation in fish assemblage composition and abundance and limits the transfer of aquatic-derived energy and nutrients into terrestrial food webs by reducing fish mortality on drying floodplains. Our study demonstrates the importance of quantifying in idual-level behaviour across the three stages of dispersal (emigration, inter-patch movement, immigration) for our understanding of how animal movement influences energetic subsidies and other large-scale ecosystem processes.
Multi-decadal trends in large-bodied fish populations in the New South Wales Murray–Darling Basin, Australia
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 05-06-2023
DOI: 10.1071/MF23046
Abstract: Context Native fish populations in Australia’s Murray–Darling Basin (MDB) have experienced severe declines since European settlement. Information on their status is needed to guide management and recovery. Aims To quantify trends in MDB fish populations in New South Wales (NSW) from 1994 to 2022. Methods Relative abundance, biomass, and size structure were examined using generalised additive mixed models at NSW MDB and river catchment (valley) scales for five native species (Murray cod, Maccullochella peelii golden perch, Macquaria ambigua silver perch, Bidyanus bidyanus Macquarie perch, Macquaria australasica freshwater catfish, Tandanus tandanus) and one alien species (common carp, Cyprinus carpio). Key results There was strong inter-annual variation in relative abundance, biomass and population structure for all species. At the Basin scale, relative abundance of Murray cod, golden perch and common carp increased across the time series, with no clear trends for silver perch, Macquarie perch or freshwater catfish. Patterns in relative abundance, biomass, and population structure were variable among valleys for most species. Conclusions and implications Although native fish populations in the MDB remain degraded and face escalating threats, recent increases in the abundance of some native species are an encouraging sign that integrated restoration efforts can improve the outlook for native fish.
Go with the flow: the movement behaviour of fish from isolated waterhole refugia during connecting flow events in an intermittent dryland river
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 21-01-2016
DOI: 10.1111/FWB.12707
Spawning season movements of Macquarie perch (Macquaria australasica) in the Yarra River, Victoria
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2013
DOI: 10.1071/ZO13054
Abstract: The Macquarie perch (Macquaria australasica) is a threatened fish species that inhabits rivers and impoundments in south-eastern Australia. Previous studies have shown that Macquarie perch in impoundments exhibit synchronised upstream spawning migrations to shallow, fast-flowing habitats in the lower reaches of inflowing streams. There has been little study of movement behaviours of entirely riverine populations of Macquarie perch despite this being the species’ natural habitat. Here, radio-telemetry is used to test the hypothesis that riverine populations exhibit synchronised migrations during the spawning season. Thirty Macquarie perch in the Yarra River, Victoria, a translocated population outside of the species’ natural range, were radio-tagged before the late spring–early summer spawning season and their movements followed over a 10-month period (May 2011 to February 2012). Tagged fish typically occupied restricted reaches of stream ( m). Sixteen of the fish undertook occasional upstream or downstream movements (~250–1000 m) away from their usual locations, particularly associated with large flow variations during the spawning season. There was no evidence of synchronised migratory behaviour or movement of multiple fish to specific locations or habitats during the spawning season. Whilst further research over more years is needed to comprehensively document the spawning-related behaviours of riverine Macquarie perch, our study demonstrates that management of riverine populations of this threatened species cannot necessarily be based on the model of spawning behaviour developed for lacustrine populations.
Niche metrics suggest euryhaline and coastal elasmobranchs provide trophic connections among marine and freshwater biomes in northern Australia
Publisher: Inter-Research Science Center
Date: 17-02-2017
DOI: 10.3354/MEPS11995
Do upstream migrating, juvenile amphidromous shrimps, provide a marine subsidy to river ecosystems?
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 20-02-2017
DOI: 10.1111/FWB.12907
Production of external fluorescent marks on golden perch fingerlings through osmotic induction marking with alizarin red S
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 05-2007
DOI: 10.1577/M06-053.1
Determining mark success of 15 combinations of enriched stable isotopes for the batch marking of larval otoliths
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 10-2011
Unravelling the taxonomy and identification of a problematic group of benthic fishes from tropical rivers (Gobiidae: Glossogobius)
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 22-06-2021
DOI: 10.1111/JFB.14701
Abstract: Flathead gobies (genus Glossogobius ) include c . 40 small‐ to medium‐sized benthic fishes found primarily in freshwater habitats across the Indo‐Pacific, having bio ersity value as well as cultural and economic value as food fishes, especially in developing countries. To help resolve considerable confusion regarding the identification of some of the larger‐growing Glossogobius species, a systematic framework was established using nuclear genetic markers, mitochondrial DNA barcoding and phenotypic evidence for a geographically widespread collection of in iduals from the waterways of tropical northern Australia. Species boundaries and distribution patterns were discordant with those previously reported, most notably for the tank goby Glossogobius giuris , which included a cryptic species. Genetic ergence was matched with accompanying unique visual characters that aid field identification. Additional taxonomic complexity was also evident, by comparison with DNA barcodes from international locations, suggesting that the specific names applicable for two of the candidate species in Australia remain unresolved due to confusion surrounding type specimens. Although flathead gobies are assumed to be widespread and common, this study demonstrates that unrealised taxonomic and ecological complexity is evident, and this will influence assessments of tropical bio ersity and species conservation. This study supports the need for taxonomic studies of freshwater fishes to underpin management in areas subject to significant environmental change.
Asteriscus v. lapillus: Comparing the chemistry of two otolith types and their ability to delineate riverine populations of common carp Cyprinus carpio
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 07-09-2012
DOI: 10.1111/J.1095-8649.2012.03443.X
Abstract: The chemical composition of common carp Cyprinus carpio asteriscus (vaterite) and lapillus (aragonite) otoliths from the same in idual and reflecting the same growth period was measured to (1) determine whether there are differences in the uptake of trace metals (Mg:Ca, Mn:Ca, Sr:Ca and Ba:Ca ) and Sr isotope ratios ((87)Sr:(86)Sr) in co-precipitating lapilli and asterisci and (2) compare the ability of multi-element and isotopic signatures from lapilli, asterisci and both otolith types combined to discriminate C. carpio populations over a large spatial scale within a river basin. Depth profile analyses at the otolith edge using laser-ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry showed that asterisci were enriched in Mg and Mn and depleted in Sr and Ba relative to lapilli, whilst (87)Sr:(86)Sr values were nearly identical in both otolith types. Significant spatial differences among capture locations were found when all trace element and Sr isotope ratio data were aggregated into a multi-element and isotopic signature, regardless of which otolith type was used or if they were used in combination. Discriminatory power was enhanced, however, when data for both otolith types were combined, suggesting that analysis of multiple otolith types may be useful for studies attempting to delineate C. carpio populations at finer spatial or temporal scales.
Migration history and stock structure of two putatively diadromous teleost fishes, as determined by genetic and otolith chemistry analyses
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
Date: 03-2014
DOI: 10.1086/674796
Patterns of genetic structuring at the northern limits of the Australian smelt (Retropinna semoni) cryptic species complex
Publisher: PeerJ
Date: 03-05-2018
DOI: 10.7717/PEERJ.4654
Abstract: Freshwater fishes often exhibit high genetic population structure due to the prevalence of dispersal barriers (e.g., waterfalls) whereas population structure in diadromous fishes tends to be weaker and driven by natal homing behaviour and/or isolation by distance. The Australian smelt (Retropinnidae: Retropinna semoni ) is a native fish with a broad distribution spanning inland and coastal drainages of south-eastern Australia. Previous studies have demonstrated variability in population genetic structure and movement behaviour (potamodromy, facultative diadromy, estuarine residence) across the southern part of its geographic range. Some of this variability may be explained by the existence of multiple cryptic species. Here, we examined genetic structure of populations towards the northern extent of the species’ distribution, using ten microsatellite loci and sequences of the mitochondrial cyt b gene. We tested the hypothesis that genetic connectivity among rivers should be low due to a lack of dispersal via the marine environment, but high within rivers due to dispersal. We investigated populations corresponding with two putative cryptic species, SEQ-North (SEQ-N), and SEQ-South (SEQ-S) lineages occurring in south east Queensland drainages. These two groups formed monophyletic clades in the mtDNA gene tree and among river phylogeographic structure was also evident within each clade. In agreement with our hypothesis, highly significant overall F ST values suggested that both groups exhibit very low dispersal among rivers (SEQ-S F ST = 0.13 SEQ-N F ST = 0.27). Microsatellite data indicated that connectivity among sites within rivers was also limited, suggesting dispersal may not homogenise populations at the within-river scale. Northern groups in the Australian smelt cryptic species complex exhibit comparatively higher among-river population structure and smaller geographic ranges than southern groups. These properties make northern Australian smelt populations potentially susceptible to future conservation threats, and we define eight genetically distinct management units along south east Queensland to guide future conservation management. The present findings at least can assist managers to plan for effective conservation and management of different fish species along coastal drainages of south east Queensland, Australia.
Genetic analysis of threatened Australian grayling Prototroctes maraena suggests recruitment to coastal rivers from an unstructured marine larval source population
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 12-2010
DOI: 10.1111/J.1095-8649.2010.02844.X
Abstract: Population genetic variation of Australian grayling Prototroctes maraena was examined to determine whether the dispersal strategy of this hidromous species favours retention of larvae and juveniles in close proximity to their natal river, or mixing of populations via marine dispersal. Variation in microsatellite and mitochondrial DNA markers was unstructured and differentiation was indistinguishable from zero across four coastal rivers spanning approximately one-quarter of the continental range of the species. This result indicates that the marine larval and juvenile phase probably facilitates extensive gene flow among coastal rivers and agrees with a previous analysis of otolith chemistry that suggested larvae probably move into the sea rather than remain in estuaries. It appears likely that the dispersal strategy of P. maraena would enable recolonization of rivers that experience localized extinction provided that connectivity between freshwater habitats and the sea is sufficient to permit migration and that enough source populations remain intact to support viability of the wider population.
Erratum to: Restoring habitat and cultural practice in Australia’s oldest and largest traditional aquaculture system (Rev Fish Biol Fisheries, (2016), 26, (589–600), 10.1007/s11160-016-9426-1)
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 17-10-2016
Comparison of larval fish drift in the Lower Goulburn and mid-Murray Rivers
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 30-06-2005
Temporal change in fish assemblages in the lower Goulburn River, south-eastern Australia: Comment on Pollino et al. (2004)
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2006
DOI: 10.1071/MF05066
Abstract: A recent analysis of fish assemblages in the Goulburn River, south-eastern Australia, used fish survey data collected between 1970 and 2002 to examine spatial patterns in the compositions and relative abundances of fish assemblages in the catchment. Based on this analysis, it was concluded that the native fish fauna of the Goulburn River is in a stressed condition and that introduced species dominate the fish assemblages. Fish survey data collected in 1982–1983 are compared with data collected in 2003–2004 to examine whether fish assemblages in the lower Goulburn River were stable at the temporal scale at which the data were aggregated in the previous analysis. The results show significant differences in fish assemblage composition between the two surveys, suggesting that fish assemblage structure in the lower Goulburn River did not remain stable between 1982–1983 and 2003–2004. The aggregation of data collected over several decades has the potential to confound analysis of spatial variations in fish assemblages and is unlikely to provide a reliable means of assessing their current condition.
A method for improving the estimation of natal chemical signatures in otoliths
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 11-2008
DOI: 10.1577/T07-249.1
Migration to freshwater increases growth rates in a facultatively catadromous tropical fish
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 06-07-2019
DOI: 10.1007/S00442-019-04460-7
Abstract: Diadromy is a form of migration where aquatic organisms undergo regular movements between fresh and marine waters for the purposes of feeding and reproduction. Despite having arisen in independent lineages of fish, gastropod molluscs and crustaceans, the evolutionary drivers of diadromous migration remain contentious. We test a key aspect of the 'productivity hypothesis', which proposes that diadromy arises in response to primary productivity differentials between marine and freshwater habitats. Otolith chemistry and biochronology data are analysed in a facultatively catadromous tropical fish (barramundi, Lates calcarifer) to determine the effect of freshwater residence on growth rates. In iduals that accessed freshwater grew ~ 25% faster on average than estuarine residents in the year following migration, suggesting that catadromy provides a potential fitness advantage over non-catadromous (marine/estuarine) life histories, as predicted by the productivity hypothesis. Although diadromous barramundi exhibited faster growth than non-diadromous fish, we suggest that the relative reproductive success of diadromous and non-diadromous contingents is likely to be strongly influenced by local environmental variability such as temporal differences in river discharge, and that this may facilitate the persistence of erse life history strategies within populations.
Diurnal and nocturnal movements of river blackfish (Gadopsis marmoratus) in a south-eastern Australian upland stream
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 17-09-2008
Incorporation of magnesium into fish otoliths: Determining contribution from water and diet
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2012
Contemporary and historical patterns of connectivity among populations of an inland river fish species inferred from genetics and otolith chemistry
Publisher: Canadian Science Publishing
Date: 07-2010
DOI: 10.1139/F10-043
Abstract: Patterns of dispersal in riverine populations of Australian smelt ( Retropinna semoni ) were examined using otolith chemistry (Mg:Ca, Mn:Ca, Sr:Ca, Ba:Ca) and genetic markers (allozymes, mtDNA, microsatellite DNA). During a period of prolonged low flows, young-of-year smelt were collected from 13 streams within three catchments of the southern Murray–Darling Basin, Australia. Spatial differences in otolith core and edge chemical signatures and high levels of genetic assignment to s ling locations were observed, suggesting that most recruits were retained in natal areas after spawning. Following a subsequent period of hydrological connection, the same cohort was s led as 1-year-olds. Maximum likelihood estimation using otolith core chemistry data from these fish suggested that retention in natal areas was highly variable between years and a similar, though less pronounced, pattern was evident in genetic assignments. Partitioning of genetic variation among catchments was not significant (F CT 0.004) and probably reflects disequilibrium between migration and genetic drift due to an historical population expansion (~270 000 years ago). Taken together, otolith chemistry and genetic analyses suggest that contemporary dispersal of smelt within these catchments is relatively restricted and may be mediated by changes in hydrological connectivity.
Flow-mediated predator–prey dynamics influence fish populations in a tropical river
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 27-05-2019
DOI: 10.1111/FWB.13318
Substantial intraspecific trait variation across a hydrological gradient in northern Australian fishes
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 07-2022
DOI: 10.1002/ECS2.4169
Abstract: Trait‐based models of ecological communities and ecosystem functioning often fail to account for intraspecific variation in functional traits, assuming that intraspecific variability is negligible compared with interspecific variability. However, this assumption remains poorly tested across vertebrate animals where past studies routinely describe species according to mean trait values without explicit consideration of in idual trait variability. We assessed nine functional traits for 4254 in iduals belonging to 15 freshwater fish species from 11 families in northern Australia, including body elongation, body shape, caudal peduncle throttle, eye size, eye position, gape shape, gape size, mouth position, and pectoral fin length. We quantified the extent and geography of intraspecific trait variability and its relationship with riverine hydrologic regimes using a structured s ling design. Using a combination of single‐ and multi‐trait analyses, we demonstrate that intraspecific trait variability can contribute up to 70% of the total trait variability depending on the attribute considered and averaged 31% across all traits. The magnitude of intraspecific trait variability also varied across the hydrological permanency gradient. Fish assemblages in intermittent streams subjected to frequent environmental disturbance had high intraspecific trait variability, most likely due to strong abiotic filters limiting interspecific ergence. Conversely, assemblages in perennial rivers with less harsh environmental filters but with a larger pool of species expressed lower intraspecific trait variability: This is most likely due to stronger resource competition (biotic filter), which promotes specialization of resource use and, consequently, interspecific ergence. Our study provides the first evidence of intraspecific trait variability driven by a disturbance gradient for an animal group and points to the need for additional research into the functional importance of intraspecific variability in animal ecology. A better understanding of the patterns, drivers, and implications of intraspecific trait variability will help guide mechanistic‐based predictions of the effects of environmental changes on community assemblage and ecosystem processes.
Stock structure of Lethrinus laticaudis (Lethrinidae) across northern Australia determined using genetics, otolith microchemistry and parasite assemblage composition
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2018
DOI: 10.1071/MF17087
Abstract: The grass emperor Lethrinus laticaudis is a conspicuous element of the commercial and recreational catch from nearshore reef systems across northern Australia. The nearshore reef systems across northern Australia are exposed to increasing levels of fishing pressure from commercial and recreational fishers. To inform ongoing management of this species, the present study examined the stock structure of L. laticaudis across northern Australia using a combination of complementary techniques. In all, 342 L. laticaudis s les were collected from 13 locations in the coastal waters of northern Australia ranging from the Pilbara region of Western Australia to Moreton Bay in south-east Queensland. Population genetic analyses using microsatellite markers demonstrated that there were at least four genetically distinct populations across northern Australia with gene flow between management jurisdictions (with significantly more separation between Western Australian and Northern Territory locations than between Northern Territory and Queensland locations). An isolation by distance effect was evident (genetic differences increasing linearly with distance). Otolith microchemistry and parasitology analyses indicated some spatial structuring of populations within broader regions. These findings of restricted connectivity at small spatial scales suggest that L. laticaudis is vulnerable to localised depletion in areas where fishing effort is concentrated. This conclusion is consistent with recent observations of fishery declines in heavily fished locations.
Nursery sources and cohort strength of young-of-the-year common carp (Cyprinus carpio) under differing flow regimes in a regulated floodplain river
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 20-06-2014
DOI: 10.1111/EFF.12075
Microsatellite markers for Australian temperate diadromous fishes Pseudaphritis urvillii (Bovichtidae) and Lovettia sealii (Galaxiidae)
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 20-11-2012
Population demographics of golden perch (Macquaria ambigua) in the Darling River prior to a major fish kill: A guide for rehabilitation
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 02-09-2022
DOI: 10.1071/MF21033
Abstract: An understanding of population demographics and life history processes is integral to the rehabilitation of fish populations. In Australia’s highly modified Murray–Darling Basin, native fish are imperilled and fish deaths in the Darling River in 2018–19 highlighted their vulnerability. Golden perch (Macquaria ambigua) is a long-lived percichthyid that was conspicuous in the fish kills. To guide population rehabilitation in the Darling River, pre-fish kill age structure, provenance and movement of golden perch were explored using otolith microstructure and chemistry (87Sr/86Sr). Across the Lower and Mid-Darling River, recruitment was episodic, with dominant cohorts associated with years characterised by elevated discharge. There was substantial variability in age structure, recruitment source and movement patterns between the Lower and Mid-Darling River. In the Mid-Darling River, tributaries were an important recruitment source, whereas in the Lower Darling fish predominantly originated in the Darling River itself. Downstream movement of juveniles, upstream migration of adults and return movements to natal locations were important drivers of population structure. Restoring resilient golden perch populations in the Darling River will be reliant on mitigating barriers to movement, promoting a connected mosaic of recruitment sources and reinstating the hydrological and hydraulic factors associated with spawning, recruitment and dispersal. Globally, increasing water resource development and climate change will necessitate such integrated approaches to the management of long-lived migratory riverine fishes.
Comparison of fin and muscle tissues for analysis of signature fatty acids in tropical euryhaline sharks
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2016
Effects of suboptimal temperatures on larval and juvenile development and otolith morphology in three freshwater fishes: implications for cold water pollution in rivers
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 31-10-2020
The complete mitochondrial genome of the golden snapper Lutjanus johnii (Perciformes: Lutjanidae)
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 20-05-2016
DOI: 10.3109/19401736.2014.919457
Abstract: We describe the complete mitochondrial genome of the golden snapper Lutjanus johnii. It was assembled from approximately 1.4 million reads produced by Ion Torrent next generation sequencing. The complete genome was 16,596 bp in length consisting of 13 protein-coding regions, 22 tRNA, 12S and 16S rRNA as well as two non-coding regions. The A+T base content (52.8%) is similar to other teleosts.
Downstream spawning migration by the amphidromous Australian grayling (Prototroctes maraena) in a coastal river in south-eastern Australia
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2013
DOI: 10.1071/MF12196
Abstract: Understanding the reasons and cues for migration is crucial for developing effective conservation and management strategies of diadromous fishes. Spawning and movement patterns of the threatened diadromous Australian grayling (Prototroctes maraena) were investigated in the Bunyip River, Victoria, using drift s ling (2008–2011) and acoustic telemetry (2009–2010) during the autumn–winter spawning period of each year. Fifty-five adult fish (2009: n = 21 2010: n = 34) were tagged and released in February ~15–30 km upstream of the Bunyip River estuary. Thirteen fish (2009: n = 7 2010: n = 6) undertook rapid downstream migrations from March to April to reaches immediately upstream of the estuary. Drifting eggs were detected at multiple sites between April and July however, the majority (78.8%) were collected in the lower reaches within ~0.5 km of the estuary in early–mid-May. Tagged adult fish arrived in this area 1–4 weeks before eggs were detected and usually moved back upstream within 2 weeks following the peak egg abundance. Downstream migration and peak egg abundance were associated with increased river flows. Although the proportion of fish that undertook migrations was low, low rates of tag retention in this species likely account for the failure to detect migration by many of the tagged in iduals.
Movement and habitat use of the freshwater catfish (Tandanus tandanus) in a remnant floodplain wetland
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 26-06-2014
DOI: 10.1111/EFF.12159
Impacts of drought and predicted effects of climate change on fish growth in temperate Australian lakes
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 04-01-2011
Environmental cues and extended estuarine residence in seaward migrating eels (A nguilla australis)
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 15-04-2014
DOI: 10.1111/FWB.12376
Temporal and spatial variation in strontium in a tropical river: Implications for otolith chemistry analyses of fish migration
Publisher: Canadian Science Publishing
Date: 04-2017
Abstract: Analysis of otolith strontium isotope ratios ( 87 Sr/ 86 Sr) is an increasingly utilized approach for studying fish migration. We analysed surface and ground water from the Daly River catchment in the wet–dry tropics of northern Australia over 2 years. Analyses of otolith 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios were also conducted for freshwater sooty grunter (Hephaestus fuliginosus) and the putatively diadromous diamond mullet (Liza ordensis). Spatial variation in freshwater 87 Sr/ 86 Sr was high (range: 0.71612–0.78059), and there was strong seasonality in water 87 Sr/ 86 Sr, with highest values in the wet season. Temporal variation in water 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios is attributed to seasonal patterns in surface runoff from geological formations with radiogenic compositions versus input from groundwater aquifers interacting with less radiogenic formations. Temporal variation in water 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios precluded robust inference on movement within fresh water for both species, although movement across salinity gradients by diamond mullet was clearly identified. We conclude that temporally and spatially replicated water Sr data should be a general requisite for studies that analyse otolith Sr ( 87 Sr/ 86 Sr, Sr/Ca, Sr/Ba) to make inferences about fish movement and migration.
Is variable connectivity among populations of a continental gobiid fish driven by local adaptation or passive dispersal?
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 16-04-2014
DOI: 10.1111/FWB.12373
The complete mitochondrial genome of the grass emperor, Lethrinus laticaudis (Perciformes: Lethrinidae)
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 2016
Use of radiotelemetry to quantify diel habitat preferences and minimum environmental flow requirements of a tropical riverine fish (Sooty grunter Hephaestus fuliginosus)
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 24-03-2021
DOI: 10.1002/ECO.2290
Abstract: Quantitative relationships between river discharge and hydraulic habitat availability for key taxa are important elements of environmental flow assessment. We used radiotelemetry to examine diel patterns of habitat use by tracking the locations of 17 juvenile Sooty grunter ( Hephaestus fuliginosus ) over a 10‐day period during the late dry season in a river in the wet–dry tropics of northern Australia. Habitat use data were integrated with a hydrodynamic model to identify preferred hydraulic habitat and explore different river discharge scenarios to assess the potential effects of water abstraction on habitat availability. Sooty grunter exhibited a strong preference for shallow, fast flowing mesohabitat (riffles and runs). Hydraulic microhabitat preference was modelled using generalised additive mixed‐effect models (GAMMs) and showed no significant difference in microhabitat selection between day and night. Habitat criteria developed from a combined day‐night GAMM were defined as locations with velocities of 0.26–1.42 m s −1 and depths .69 m. Hydrodynamic modelling of river discharge scenarios in the study reach showed that the area of preferred habitat was highest at 8 m 3 s −1 , with large declines in habitat area under low flows (61% decline in habitat area at 0.5 m 3 s −1 compared to the discharge of 2.8 m 3 s −1 at the time of radio‐tracking). While the study focusses on a single species, our findings demonstrate the broad applicability of radiotelemetry as a means of quantifying the diel hydraulic habitat requirements of riverine fish to support the objective determination of environmental flow regimes.
Transgenerational marking of freshwater fishes with enriched stable isotopes: A tool for fisheries management and research
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 08-2009
DOI: 10.1111/J.1095-8649.2009.02352.X
Abstract: A promising new method of marking larval freshwater fishes with enriched stable isotopes by means of injecting the maternal parent with the marking agent was investigated. The (138)Ba:(137)Ba ratios in the otoliths of larval golden perch Macquaria ambigua were compared to determine the effect of injecting female broodstock with different dosages of enriched (137)Ba at various times before spawning. There was 100% mark success in the progeny of fish injected with 20 microg g(-1) of enriched (137)Ba 24 h before inducing spawning with hormones and 40 microg g(-1) administered at the same time as inducement of spawning. Injection of 40 microg g(-1) enriched (137)Ba 21 days before spawning resulted in only 81% mark success and suggests rapid elimination of barium in M. ambigua. Injection with enriched (137)Ba did not significantly affect the fertilization rate, number of fertilized eggs or hatching rate compared with long-term hatchery records. These results suggest that transgenerational marking is an effective and affordable means of mass-marking larval fishes. Thousands of larval fishes can be permanently marked with a unique artificial isotopic mark via a single injection into the maternal parent, thus avoiding the handling of in idual fishes or having to deal with chemical baths. Because no single mark or tagging method is suitable for all situations, transgenerational marking with enriched stable isotopes provides another method for researchers and managers to discriminate both hatchery-reared and wild fishes.
Dry season habitat use of fishes in an Australian tropical river
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 05-04-2019
DOI: 10.1038/S41598-019-41287-X
Abstract: The modification of river flow regimes poses a significant threat to the world’s freshwater ecosystems. Northern Australia’s freshwater resources, particularly dry season river flows, are being increasingly modified to support human development, potentially threatening aquatic ecosystems and bio ersity, including fish. More information is urgently needed on the ecology of fishes in this region, including their habitat requirements, to support water policy and management to ensure future sustainable development. This study used electrofishing and habitat survey methods to quantify the dry season habitat use of 20 common freshwater fish taxa in the Daly River in Australia’s wet-dry tropics. Of twenty measured habitat variables, water depth and velocity were the two most important factors discriminating fish habitat use for the majority of taxa. Four distinct fish habitat guilds were identified, largely classified according to depth, velocity and structural complexity. Ontogenetic shifts in habitat use were also observed in three species. This study highlights the need to maintain dry season river flows that support a ersity of riverine mesohabitats for freshwater fishes. In particular, shallow fast-flowing areas provided critical nursery and refuge habitats for some species, but are vulnerable to water level reductions due to water extraction. By highlighting the importance of a ersity of habitats for fishes, this study assists water managers in future decision making on the ecological risks of water extractions from tropical rivers, and especially the need to maintain dry season low flows to protect the habitats of native fish.
Identifying drivers of tropical riverine larval fish abundance and diversity
Publisher: Canadian Science Publishing
Date: 12-2022
Abstract: Several hypotheses and conceptual models propose to explain mechanisms mediating riverine fish abundance, but few empirical studies to date have explored their utility in tropical systems. This study assesses key components of previous fish recruitment models by exploring spatiotemporal variation in larval fish assemblages in response to predicted key drivers in a tropical Australian river catchment. Data on larval fish composition and abundance, alongside hydrological, hydraulic, habitat and food variables, were collected monthly to bimonthly over one year at eight sites. Variables which best predicted larval fish abundance and ersity were determined with Boosted Regression Trees. The most commonly important predictors were microfauna abundance, structural habitat complexity and temperature, with high values of each predicting high larval fish abundance and ersity. Maximum larval ersity occurred when discharge was highest because several wet-season spawning taxa occurred alongside aseasonally spawning taxa. These findings support previous generic fish recruitment models, demonstrating the utility of their inclusion in the recent Riverine Recruitment Synthesis Model and the applicability of this model for describing processes important for tropical riverine fish recruitment.
Use of otolith chemistry to examine patterns of diadromy in the threatened Australian grayling Prototroctes maraena
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 31-10-2006
Catadromous migrations by female tupong (Pseudaphritis urvillii) in coastal streams in Victoria, Australia
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2010
DOI: 10.1071/MF09170
Abstract: Understanding migratory requirements is critical for the conservation of diadromous fishes. Tupong (Pseudaphritis urvillii) are diadromous fishes found in freshwater and estuarine regions of south-eastern Australia. Previous studies have hypothesised that mature female tupong undertake downstream spawning migrations from freshwater to the estuary or sea, with a compensatory return of juveniles, and possibly spent fish, back upstream. We applied acoustic telemetry to test this hypothesis. We tagged 55 female tupong in two river systems in Victoria, Australia, and tracked movements for 4- to 6-month periods over 2 years. Thirty-one fish undertook rapid downstream migrations and then appeared to move through the estuary and out to sea between May and August in each year. Migration was associated with relatively high river discharges, and movement from the estuary to the sea tended to occur most frequently during intermediate moon phases. Low rates of movement between September and April suggested that tupong inhabited restricted home ranges outside of the spawning season. The apparently disparate migratory patterns of female (catadromous) and male (non-diadromous) tupong are rare amongst fishes globally. Differential exertion of a range of selective pressures may have resulted in the evolution of sexual differences in migratory modes in this species.
Environmental change drives long-term recruitment and growth variation in an estuarine fish
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 12-04-2014
DOI: 10.1111/GCB.12545
Abstract: How in iduals respond to environmental change determines the strength and direction of biological processes like recruitment and growth that underpin population productivity. Ascertaining the relative importance of environmental factors can, however, be difficult given the numerous mechanisms through which they affect in iduals. This is especially true in dynamic and complex estuarine environments. Here, we develop long-term otolith-based indices of recruitment and growth for estuary perch Percalates colonorum (Bemm River, Australia), to explore the importance of intrinsic (in idual, demographic) and extrinsic (hydrologic, climatic, density-dependent) factors in driving estuarine fish productivity. Analyses involved a novel zero-inflated specification of catch curve regression and mixed effects modelling. The 39 years of recruitment and 46 years of growth data, spanning a period of environmental change including severe drought, displayed considerable inter-annual variation. Recruitment success was strongly related to high freshwater inflows during the spawning season, suggesting that these conditions act as spawning cues for adults and potentially provide favourable conditions for larvae. In iduals displayed age-dependent growth, with highest rates observed at younger ages in years characterized by warm temperatures, and to a lesser degree, greater magnitude base inflow conditions. We detected systematic among-year-class growth differences, but these were not attributable to year class strength, suggesting that environmental conditions experienced by in iduals as juveniles can have long-lasting effects of greater importance to population productivity than density-dependent growth responses. The primacy of temperature in driving growth variation highlights that under-appreciated climatic variation can affect estuarine fish productivity through direct physiological and indirect food web mechanisms. We predict that climatic warming will promote in idual growth in southerly populations of P. colonorum but concurrently limit recruitment due to forecast reductions in spawning season river discharge. Disparate trait responses are likely in other fishes as they respond to multiple and changing environmental drivers, making predictions of future population productivity challenging.
Using enriched stable isotopes of barium and magnesium to batch mark otoliths of larval golden perch (Macquaria ambigua, Richardson)
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 08-12-2011
Toward a better understanding of freshwater fish responses to an increasingly drought-stricken world
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 08-01-2019
Characterization, development and multiplexing of microsatellite markers in three commercially exploited reef fish and their application for stock identification
Publisher: PeerJ
Date: 31-08-2016
DOI: 10.7717/PEERJ.2418
Abstract: Thirty-four microsatellite loci were isolated from three reef fish species golden snapper Lutjanus johnii , blackspotted croaker Protonibea diacanthus and grass emperor Lethrinus laticaudis using a next generation sequencing approach. Both IonTorrent single reads and Illumina MiSeq paired-end reads were used, with the latter demonstrating a higher quality of reads than the IonTorrent. From the 1–1.5 million raw reads per species, we successfully obtained 10–13 polymorphic loci for each species, which satisfied stringent design criteria. We developed multiplex panels for the lification of the golden snapper and the blackspotted croaker loci, as well as post- lification pooling panels for the grass emperor loci. The microsatellites characterized in this work were tested across three locations of northern Australia. The microsatellites we developed can detect population differentiation across northern Australia and may be used for genetic structure studies and stock identification.
Spatial variation in egg size and egg number reflects trade-offs and bet-hedging in a freshwater fish
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 06-02-2012
DOI: 10.1111/J.1365-2656.2012.01961.X
Abstract: 1. Maternal reproductive investment is thought to reflect a trade-off between offspring size and fecundity, and models generally predict that mothers inhabiting adverse environments will produce fewer, larger offspring. More recently, the importance of environmental unpredictability in influencing maternal investment has been considered, with some models predicting that mothers should adopt a ersified bet-hedging strategy whilst others a conservative bet-hedging strategy. 2. We explore spatial egg size and fecundity patterns in the freshwater fish southern pygmy perch (Nannoperca australis) that inhabits a ersity of streams along gradients of environmental quality, variability and predictability. 3. Contrary to some predictions, N. australis populations inhabiting increasingly harsh streams produced more numerous and smaller eggs. Furthermore, within-female egg size variability increased as environments became more unpredictable. 4. We argue that in harsh environments or those prone to physical disturbance, sources of mortality are size independent with offspring size having only a minor influence on offspring fitness. Instead, maternal fitness is maximized by producing many small eggs, increasing the likelihood that some offspring will disperse to permanent water. We also provide empirical support for ersified bet-hedging as an adaptive strategy when future environmental quality is uncertain and suggest egg size may be a more appropriate fitness measure in stable environments characterized by size-dependent fitness. These results likely reflect spatial patterns of adaptive plasticity and bet-hedging in response to both predictable and unpredictable environmental variance and highlight the importance of considering both trait averages and variance. 5. Reproductive life-history traits can vary predictably along environmental gradients. Human activity, such as the hydrological modification of natural flow regimes, alters the form and magnitude of these gradients, and this can have both ecological and evolutionary implications for biota adapted to now non-existent natural environmental heterogeneity.
Predicting the Influence of Streamflow on Migration and Spawning of a Threatened Diadromous Fish, the Australian Grayling Prototroctes Maraena.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 03-04-2017
DOI: 10.1007/S00267-017-0853-0
Abstract: The development of effective strategies to restore the biological functioning of aquatic ecosystems with altered flow regimes requires a detailed understanding of flow-ecology requirements, which is unfortunately lacking in many cases. By understanding the flow conditions required to initiate critical life history events such as migration and spawning, it is possible to mitigate the threats posed by regulated river flow by providing targeted environmental flow releases from impoundments. In this study, we examined the influence of hydrological variables (e.g., flow magnitude), temporal variables (e.g., day of year) and spatial variables (e.g., longitudinal position of fish) on two key life history events (migration to spawning grounds and spawning activity) for a threatened diadromous fish (Australian grayling Prototroctes maraena) using data collected from 2008 to 2015 in the Bunyip-Tarago river system in Victoria. Our analyses revealed that flow changes act as a cue to downstream migration, but movement responses differed spatially: fish in the upper catchment showed a more specific requirement for rising discharge to initiate migration than fish in the lower catchment. Egg concentrations peaked in May when weekly flows increased relative to the median flow during a given spawning period. This information has recently been incorporated into the development of targeted environmental flows to facilitate migration and spawning by Australian grayling in the Bunyip-Tarago river system and other coastal systems in Victoria.
Eucalyptus leachate inhibits reproduction in a freshwater fish
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 13-04-2011
Evaluation of a sweep net electrofishing method for the collection of small fish and shrimp in lotic freshwater environments
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 2002
Non‐diadromous life history and limited movement in northern lineages of Australian smelt: Evidence from otolith chemistry analysis
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 23-10-2019
DOI: 10.1111/EFF.12446
Environmental drivers of recruitment in a tropical fishery: Monsoonal effects and vulnerability to water abstraction.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 10-04-2022
DOI: 10.1002/EAP.2563
Abstract: Fisheries and natural water resources across the world are under increasing pressure from human activity, including fishing and irrigated agriculture. There is an urgent need for information on the climatic/hydrologic drivers of fishery productivity that can be readily applied to management. We use a generalized linear mixed model framework of catch curve regression to resolve the key climatic/hydrological drivers of recruitment in Barramundi Lates calcarifer using biochronological (otolith aging) data collected from four river-estuary systems in the Northern Territory, Australia. These models were then used to generate estimates of the year class strength (YCS) outcomes of different water abstraction scenarios (ranging from 10% to 40% abstraction per season/annum) for two of the rivers in low, moderate, and high discharge years. Barramundi YCS displayed strong interannual variation and was positively correlated with regional monsoon activity in all four rivers. River-specific analyses identified strong relationships between YCS and several river-specific hydrology variables, including wet and dry season discharge and flow duration. Water abstraction scenario models based on YCS-hydrology relationships predicted reductions of >30% in YCS in several cases, suggesting that increased water resource development in the future may pose risks for Barramundi recruitment and fishery productivity. Our study demonstrates the importance of the tropical monsoon as a driver of Barramundi recruitment and the potential for detrimental impacts of increased water abstraction on fishery productivity. The biochronological and statistical approaches we used have the potential to be broadly applied to inform policy and management of water resource and fisheries.
Evidence of diadromous movements in a coastal population of southern smelts (Retropinninae: Retropinna) from Victoria, Australia
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2008
DOI: 10.1071/MF07238
Abstract: Understanding the migratory behaviour of fishes is critical to the conservation and management of fish assemblages in coastal rivers. We analysed the otolith chemical signatures of smelt, Retropinna sp., from inland and coastal populations in mainland south-eastern Australia to determine whether in iduals within coastal populations of the species were diadromous. Assessments of otolith chemical composition combined with water chemistry data were used to make inferences about the migration histories of in idual fish. A proportion of the smelt collected from the freshwater reaches of a coastal river exhibited diadromous movements, with the majority of fish analysed showing evidence of estuarine or marine occupation as larvae/juveniles and a minority inhabiting freshwater throughout their life histories. A broad range in the daily ages of upstream migration into freshwater (15–106 days) and the timing of these migrations suggest that spawning and migration occur over several months during the summer/autumn period. The results of this study suggest that southern smelts are an ecologically variable taxonomic group and that conservation and management actions should take into account the range of migratory behaviours exhibited both within populations and across regions.
Sustainability of threatened species displayed in public aquaria, with a case study of Australian sharks and rays
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 12-10-2018
A method for externally attaching radio transmitters to minimize dermal irritation
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 2004
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