Ontogenetic patterns of habitat use by fishes within the main channel of an Australian floodplain river

The ontogenetic patterns of habitat use by a community of fishes in the main channel of the Broken River, an Australian lowland river, was investigated. Stratified sampling was conducted fortnightly across six habitat types throughout the spring‐summer period within the main channel. As predicted by the 'low flow recruitment hypothesis', backwaters and still littoral habitats were important nursery habitats for most species. These habitats were found to be used by some species throughout all stages of their life cycle, while other species showed clear ontogenetic shifts in habitat preference. Only one species, Murray cod Maccullochella peelii peelii , was never found in backwaters. This study confirms the significance of main channel habitats in the rearing of larvae of some riverine fish species, and emphasizes the importance of considering the habitat requirements of all stages of a fish's life cycle in the management and restoration of rivers and streams.     

Optimising environmental watering of floodplain wetlands for fish

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Fish larvae, growth and biomass relationships in an Australian arid zone river: links between floodplains and waterholes

1. Floodplain inundation provides many benefits to fish assemblages of floodplain river systems, particularly those with a predictable annual flood pulse that drives yearly peaks in fish production. In arid‐zone rivers, hydrological patterns are highly variable and the influence of irregular floods on fish production and floodplain energy subsidies may be less clear‐cut. To investigate the importance of floodplain inundation to a dryland river fish assemblage, we sampled fish life stages on the floodplain of Cooper Creek, an Australian arid‐zone river. Sampling was focused around Windorah during a major flood in January 2004 and in isolated waterholes in March 2004 following flood drawdown. 2. Of the 12 native species known to occur in this region, 11 were present on the floodplain, and all were represented by at least two of three life‐stages – larvae, juveniles or adult fish. Late stage larvae of six fish species were found on the floodplain. There were site‐specific differences in larval species assemblages, individual species abundances and larval distribution patterns among floodplain sites. 3. Significant growth was evident on the floodplain, particularly by larval and juvenile fish, reflecting the combination of high water temperatures and shallow, food rich habitats provided by the relatively flat floodplain. 4. Low variation in biomass, species richness and presence/absence of juvenile and adult fish across four floodplain sites indicates consistently high fish productivity across an extensive area. 5. Similarities and differences in fish biomass between the floodplain and isolated post‐flood waterholes suggest high rates of biomass transfer (involving the most abundant species) into local waterholes and, potentially, biomass transfer by some species to other waterholes in the catchment during floodplain inundation and after floods recede. 6. The high concentration of fish on this shallow floodplain suggests it could be a key area of high fish production that drives a significant proportion of waterhole productivity in the vicinity. The Windorah floodplain provides favourable conditions necessary for the spawning of some species and juvenile recruitment of the majority of species. It is also appears to be a significant conduit for the movements of fish that underpin high genetic similarity, hence population mixing, of many species throughout the Cooper Creek catchment. The high floodplain fish production in turn provides a significant energy subsidy to waterholes after floodwaters recede. 7. The identification of key sites of high fish production, such as the Windorah floodplain, may be important from a conservation perspective. Key management principles should be: maintenance of the natural flooding regime; identification of the most productive floodplain areas; and maintenance of their connectivity to anastomosing river channels and the remnant aquatic habitats that ultimately sustain this fish assemblage through long‐term dry/drought and flood cycles.     

Flood regime,dam regulation and fish in the Upper Paraná River: effects on assemblage attributes,reproduction and recruitment

The flood regime is the most important force determining seasonality in neotropical rivers. In the Upper Paran River floodplain, it is the primary factor influencing biological processes. The aim of this paper is to summarize information on the influence of dam-controlled floods on some fish assemblage attributes, reproduction and recruitment in the Upper Paran River floodplain, providing preliminary guidelines for dam operation upstream. Fish were collected in different habitats of the Upper Paran River floodplain (river, channels and lagoons) in the period from 1986 to 2001. The high water period in the Paran River usually occurs from November/December to April/May. Annual variation in the hydrograph affects species with distinct life history strategies differently, and influences the composition and structure of fish assemblages. Large floods were associated with higher species richness. Frequencies of individuals with ripe and partially spent gonads, which indicate spawning, were higher during the period of increasing water level. Dependence on floods seems to be lowest in sedentary species that develop parental care, and highest in large migratory species that spawn in the upper stretches of the basin and use flooded areas as nurseries. Migratory fishes were favored by annual floods that lasted more than 75 days, with longer floods yielding larger populations. The occurrence of high water levels at the beginning of summer is fundamental to the spawning success of migratory species. However, the flood may be less important for recruitment of juveniles if it is of short duration. Dam operation upstream (releasing more water during the raining season) has potential to promote greater floods with appropriate duration improving recruitment, particularly for migratory species.     

Adaptive management of an environmental watering event to enhance native fish spawning and recruitment

1. A common goal of many environmental flow regimes is to maintain and/or enhance the river's native fish community by increasing the occurrence of successful spawning and recruitment events. However, our understanding of the flow requirements of the early life history of fish is often limited, and hence predicting their response to specific managed flow events is difficult. To overcome this uncertainty requires the use of adaptive management principles in the design, implementation, monitoring and adjustment of environmental flow regimes.
2. The Barmah-Millewa Forest, a large river red gum forest on the Murray River floodplain, south-east Australia, contains a wide variety of ephemeral and permanent aquatic habitats suitable for fish. Flow regulation of the Murray River has significantly altered the natural flood regime of the Forest. In an attempt to alleviate some of the effects of river regulation, the Forest's water regime is highly managed using a variety of flow control structures and also receives targeted Environmental Water Allocations (EWA). In 2005, the largest environmental flow allocated to date in Australia was delivered at the Forest.
3. This study describes the adaptive management approach employed during the delivery of the 2005 EWA, which successfully achieved multiple ecological goals including enhanced native fish spawning and recruitment. Intensive monitoring of fish spawning and recruitment provided invaluable real-time and ongoing management input for optimising the delivery of environmental water to maximise ecological benefits at Barmah-Millewa Forest and other similar wetlands in the Murray-Darling Basin.
4. We discuss possible scenarios for the future application of environmental water and the need for environmental flow events and regimes to be conducted as rigorous, large-scale experiments within an adaptive management framework.     

Comparative use of side and main channels by small‐bodied fish in a large,unimpounded river

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Fishes of floodplain habitats of the Fly River system, Papua New Guinea, and changes associated with El Niño droughts and algal blooms

Biological monitoring of the Fly River system in Papua New Guinea has shown that floodplain habitats (oxbow lakes, blocked valley lakes and seasonally inundated grassed floodplain) support diverse and abundant populations of freshwater fishes. Since monitoring first commenced in the early 1980's, a total of 66 fish species representing 33 families has been sampled, with gillnets and rotenone, from a range of sites located on the floodplains of the Fly and Strickland rivers. The fish fauna was dominated by catfishes in the families Ariidae (11 species) and Plotosidae (7 species), with aquatic invertivores being the dominant feeding group. Herring species (Nematalosa spp.) were often very abundant in the oxbow lakes, forming 66% of the total catch in all the floodplain habitats. The fish communities in the oxbow lakes and blocked valley lakes were distinctly different, with several of the smaller fish species being more abundant in the blocked valley lakes, while the oxbow lakes supported more of the larger predatory species. Catches in the oxbow lakes were also generally higher and more diverse than the blocked valley lakes or grassed floodplain sites. Since the commencement of monitoring, catches from the floodplain sites have varied considerably, both spatially and temporally. Reduced catches seen at some sites are probably associated with natural climatic factors, particularly El Niño-induced droughts and algal blooms. Introduced species and increased commercial and artisanal fishing may also be affecting stocks of native fish. Fish populations were shown to recover only slowly in lakes affected by severe drought conditions, with extensive mats of floating grasses hindering fish recolonisation. Fish stocks in a lake affected by an algal bloom recovered more quickly than stocks in lakes affected by drought.     

Hydrologic Connectivity Affects Fish Assemblage Structure,Diversity, and Ecological Traits in the Unregulated Gambia River,West Africa

The Gambia River of West Africa is a large unobstructed river, characterized by a natural flow regime and lateral connectivity across its floodplain. Construction of a major dam, however, is planned. We compared patterns of fish diversity, habitat use, assemblage structure, and the distribution of trophic position and body morphology in riverine and floodplain habitats in Niokolo Koba National Park, located downstream of the planned dam site. A total of 49 fish species were captured, revealing a lognormal distribution as expected for species‐rich assemblages. Fish species exhibited a range of habitat use patterns, from generalist to highly habitat‐specific, and appeared to migrate laterally among habitats between seasons. Species richness was homogenous among habitats in the wet season yet appeared to increase with isolation from the main river in the dry season. Fish assemblage structure was best explained by the interaction between habitat type and season, underlining the importance of the natural flow regime and lateral connectivity among floodplain habitats. The abundance of fishes having elongate bodies increased with isolation from the main channel in the wet season only. The distribution of fishes having compressed cross‐sectional morphology decreased with isolation from the main channel in the dry season only. These patterns of trait distribution support the conclusion that variation in hydrologic connectivity structures the fish assemblage. Our results suggest that altered flow regimes and loss of floodplain habitats after damming could lead to both decreased taxonomic and functional diversity of the fish assemblage.     

Dispersal without errors: symmetrical ears tune into the right frequency for survival

Vertebrate animals localize sounds by comparing differences in the acoustic signal between the two ears and, accordingly, ear structures such as the otoliths of fishes are expected to develop symmetrically. Sound recently emerged as a leading candidate cue for reef fish larvae navigating from open waters back to the reef. Clearly, the integrity of the auditory organ has a direct bearing on what and how fish larvae hear. Yet, the link between otolith symmetry and effective navigation has never been investigated in fishes. We tested whether otolith asymmetry influenced the ability of returning larvae to detect and successfully recruit to favourable reef habitats. Our results suggest that larvae with asymmetrical otoliths not only encountered greater difficulties in detecting suitable settlement habitats, but may also suffer significantly higher rates of mortality. Further, we found that otolith asymmetries arising early in the embryonic stage were not corrected by any compensational growth mechanism during the larval stage. Because these errors persist and phenotypic selection penalizes asymmetrical individuals, asymmetry is likely to play an important role in shaping wild fish populations.     

Life history traits of two dwarf cichlids species in the white waters of the Amazonian floodplain

The reproductive parameters are among the most important life history aspects of fishes influenced by environmental variation. During recent years, the main life history strategies of Amazonian fish species were defined mostly by a set of reproductive parameters. In the present work, we sought to describe important life history parameters, in particular on reproductive characteristics of Apistogramma agassizii and Apistogramma bitaeniata, found in floodplain lakes of the Brazilian Amazonia. The species presented a positive sexual dimorphism, and males were significantly bigger than females. For both sexes, four developmental phase of gonad maturation were detected, and based on those it was possible to identify mature, reproductive specimens throughout the entire period of the study. From the ovaries of mature females, fecundity and spawning type were determined. Low fecundity, short spawning periods, possibly separated only by few months, and total spawning are all good indications that A. agassizii and A. bitaeniata evolved an opportunistic strategy in their life history.     

Fish recruitment in rivers with modified discharge depends on the interacting effects of flow and thermal regimes

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Reproductive strategies of coastal marine fishes in the tropics

Synopsis A synthesis of ethnobiological, behavioral and physical oceanographic information leads to the conclusion that temperate zone models of reproductive strategy are inapplicable to many fishes of the coastal tropics. Intense predation appears to exert heavy selection pressure on fishes that spend their adult lives in coral, mangrove or tropical seagrass communities. Many exhibit spawning behaviors and spawn at times and locations that favor the transport of their pelagic eggs and pelagic larvae offshore where predation is reduced. This creates a countervailing selection pressure — the need to return the larvae to shallow water once they are ready to colonize their post-larval habitats. Accordingly, spawning is often concentrated at times of the year when prevailing winds or currents are at their weakest, thereby reducing the transport of larvae long distances from where they originated. Spawning is also concentrated in the vicinity of nearshore gyres which similarly favor the ultimate return of the larvae to their natal area. Among these species, therefore, offshore larval dispersal does not seem to be an adaptation for dispersal of the species, but rather an evolutionary response to intense predation pressure in the adult habitats. Lunar reproductive periodicity is more common among these species than has previously been recognized, and is one of the strategies employed to enhance the offshore flushing of eggs and larvae.This paper forms part of the proceedings of a mini-symposium convened at Cornell University, Ithaca, N. Y. 18–19 May 1976, entitled Patterns of Community Structure in Fishes (G. S. Helfman, ed.).Contribution No. 524, Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawaii, Honolulu.     

Pacific Coral-reef Fishes: The Implications of Behaviour and Ecology of Larvae for Biodiversity and Conservation, and a Reassessment of the Open Population Paradigm

The two-phase life history of most marine fishes and invertebrates has enormous implications for dispersal, population connectivity, and resource management. Pelagic dispersal larvae of marine animals traditionally thought to ensure that populations are widespread, that chances of local extinction are low, and that marine protected areas (MPA) can easily function to replenish both their own populations and those of unprotected areas. Traditionally, dispersal is considered to depend primarily on two variables: pelagic larva duration and far-field currents. These conclusions arise from the open population paradigm and are usually accompanied by a simplifying assumption: larvae are distributed passively by far-field currents. Unfortunately, they ignore the complex reality of circulation and hydrological connectivity of reefs, and do not consider newly-demonstrated behavioural capabilities of coral-reef fish larvae. Far-field circulation varies with depth and often excludes water bodies where propagules are released, and this has important implications for predicting trajectories of even passive larvae. However, larvae are not passive: late-stage larvae of coral-reef fishes can swim faster than currents for long periods, can probably detect reefs at some distance, and can actively find them. This behaviour is flexible, which greatly complicates modelling of larval fish trajectories. Populations at ecological (as opposed to evolutionary) scales are probably less open and more subdivided than previously assumed. All this means that dispersal predictions based solely on far-field water circulation are probably wrong. An emerging view of larval-fish dispersal is articulated that takes these new data and perspectives into account. This emerging view shows that re-evaluation of traditional views in several areas is required, including the contribution of larval-fish biology and dispersal to biodiversity patterns, the way reef fishes are managed, and the way in which MPA are thought to operate. At evolutionary and zoogeographic scales, reef-fish populations are best considered to be open.     

Species diversity and abundance of freshwater fishes in irrigation ditches around rice fields

The relationships between environmental variables, distribution of freshwater fishes and their diet were investigated at 40 sites on irrigation ditches for rice fields in central Japan. Multivariate analyses showed that fish species richness and diversity in ditches was high when fishes were able to easily invade the rice fields. Natural stream beds not covered by concrete had greater total number and biomass of fishes in irrigation ditches. The connection between ditches and rice fields was of secondary importance. Canonical correlation analysis indicated that the two principal fish community variables, abundance and diversity, were respectively represented by the presence of the minnow, Gnathopogon elongatus elongatus, and the absence of the loach, Misgurnus anguillicaudatus. Most fishes in the irrigation ditches predominantly preyed upon aquatic insects such as ephemeropteran nymphs, chironomid larvae and trichopteran larvae, but aerial insects and benthic algae were also fed upon by a few species. Small fishes (<4cm SL) preyed more on chironomid and less on trichopteran larvae than large (4cm SL) fishes. The diet overlap between species was extremely high for small fishes in ditches weakly connected with rice fields. The recent changes in rice fields and irrigation ditches to increase production efficiency has led to a decrease in fish diversity. For the coexistence of rice production and fish diversity in rice areas, a new irrigation system, where fishes can easily invade rice fields and where plenty of invertebrates are available for fishes, should be developed.     

Ecology of fish spawning and nursery zones in the flood plain,using a new sampling approach

Horizontal zonation of fish reproduction, a lotic-to-lentic succession similar to that seen with increasing stream order, was evident from the relative abundance of larval and 0 + juvenile fishes in three floodplain spawning and nursery areas (lotic, semi-lotic, lentic) of the Upper Rhône River, France. Although the lotic and lentic ecosystems provided similar estimates of standing crop (0 + juveniles), differences were apparent in the reproductive and trophic guild structure of the YOY taxocoenoses at the three sites. A new sampling approach (Random Point-Abundance Sampling and modified electrofishing) is described for early-life fish ecology. The electrofishing method employed is mobile, effective for all sizes of larvae and 0 + juveniles of most species, quantitative, and applicable to a number of freshwater situations; and the punctual data resulting from this sampling approach are comparable both spatially and temporally.     

Recruitment of migratory Characiforms in the different wetland habitats of Central Amazonia: Subsidies for sustainable fisheries management

By promoting the biological recruitment of relevant natural resources, wetlands offer a major ecosystem service. This study investigates the importance of wetland habitats of the central Amazon basin as sites for spawning and/or initial development of seven of the most important commercial Characiforms fish species. In order to confirm this importance, samples of the eggs, larvae, and juveniles of these fish species were collected during the four seasonal phases of the hydrological cycles of 2010 and 2011, in different aquatic environments of the wetland ecosystem in the central Amazon. The results confirmed that the flooding phase is the most important for the spawning of these species, and that they preferred to use the marginal areas of the central Amazon as spawning grounds. The larvae of these species colonize the confluence zone of the rivers and the mouths of the floodplain channels, principally during the initial stages (pre-flexion) of their ontogenetic development. The channels that connect the lakes to the rivers are the main dispersal route for the larvae, especially those in advanced stages of development (flexion/post-flexion), towards the internal of the wetland habitats, such as the lakes and large mattresses of floating vegetation. The different wetland habitats of this region provide an extremely important ecosystem service, playing a critical role in the recruitment of commercially-valuable fish species, and thus require adequate protection and management to ensure the continuity of fisheries and natural stocks.     

Habitat and resource use by larval and juvenile fishes in an arid-land river (Rio Grande, New Mexico)

1. Studies of mesic temperate and tropical rivers suggest an important role for floodplain habitats as nursery areas for larval and juvenile fishes. In arid‐land rivers the extent and duration of flooding is diminished and habitats and resources used by larval fishes are poorly known. Our study documented habitat and resource use of larval fishes in the Rio Grande, New Mexico, an arid‐land river. 2. Spatial and temporal distribution of larval and juvenile fishes and their inferred microhabitat preferences were studied during spring, summer and autumn, 2003. Stable carbon (¹³C : ¹²C) and nitrogen (¹⁵N : ¹⁴N) isotope ratios were measured to identify nutrient sources and characterise trophic positions of young‐of‐year fishes in this system. 3. Some fishes recruited during high flows (in spring), whereas others recruited during low‐flow periods in late summer. Regardless of the timing of reproduction, microhabitats with lower current velocity and higher temperature appeared to serve as vital nursery grounds for Rio Grande fishes. Ephemeral backwaters and disconnected side channels held the highest abundance and diversity of larvae and juveniles. 4. Stable isotope analyses revealed that fish larvae obtained carbon predominately from algal production in early summer, but used organic carbon derived from emergent macrophytes as river discharge decreased in mid‐summer. This shift may have been facilitated by microinvertebrate prey that grazed down edible algae and then switched to macrophytes in mid‐summer. Nitrogen isotope ratios did not differ among species or early life stages, suggesting that larval and juvenile fishes use similar food resources, especially when restricted to isolated pools in summer.     

Effects of flooding on recruitment and abundance of Golden Perch (Macquaria ambigua ambigua) in the lower River Murray

Flooding is often considered a stimulus for production of fish in floodplain rivers. In the southern Murray–Darling Basin (MDB), Australia, however, few native fish species have been shown to use the floodplain for spawning, and recruitment has been positively and negatively associated with flooding. In 2010/11, extensive flooding in the lower River Murray provided an opportunity to investigate the recruitment response of Golden Perch (Macquaria ambigua ambigua) following 10 years of drought and floodplain isolation. Annual variation in Golden Perch abundance and recruitment were investigated in anabranch and main channel habitats at Chowilla in the floodplain geomorphic region of the lower River Murray over a 7‐year period incorporating the flood and 6 years of in‐channel flow. Spatial variation in recruitment in the lower River Murray was also investigated by comparing the age structure of Golden Perch in the swamplands/lakes, gorge and floodplain geomorphic regions. Golden Perch abundance in the Chowilla region increased significantly postflooding compared with drought years. Age structures indicated that increased abundance was due predominantly to fish spawned during the flood (2010/11) and the previous year (2009/10), which was characterised by in‐channel flows. Age structure was similar in the nearby Katarapko Anabranch system indicating a uniform postflood recruitment response in the floodplain geomorphic region. Juvenile Golden Perch from the 2010/11 and 2009/10 cohorts were less apparent in the gorge and swamplands/lakes regions. Golden Perch have flexible life histories and will spawn and recruit in association with in‐channel rises in flow and overbank flows, but significant increases in abundance in the lower River Murray may result from overbank flooding. Contemporary approaches to flow restoration in the MDB emphasise overbank flows and floodplain processes. We suggest, however, that environmental flow management that incorporates floodplain and in‐channel processes, at appropriate spatio‐temporal scales, will result in more robust populations of Golden Perch.     

Freshwater fish biodiversity in the Yangtze River basin of China: patterns, threats and conservation

We synthesized information on freshwater fish biodiversity in the Yangtze River basin. We documented 361 species and subspecies that had been recorded and described from the basin. Of these, 177 species are endemic. The basin is usually divided into three parts, i.e. the upper reaches, the middle reaches and the lower reaches. This study indicated that the three reaches approach was not supported by fish distribution patterns. Hydrological alterations are perhaps the largest threat to fish biodiversity in the basin. Fishes in the upper reaches will be seriously affected by the construction of the Three Gorges Dam and other dams, and action should be taken for priority conservation. The most immediate restoration need is reconnection of the Yangtze River with its lakes. The cluster of lakes in the Central Yangtze should be protected to maintain habitats for spawning, feeding and migration of migratory fishes. Our study indicates a need to identify areas of high fish biodiversity and to select nature reserves to mitigate the loss of fish biodiversity in the Yangtze River basin.     

Feeding ecology of larval and juvenile black seabream (Acanthopagrus schlegeli) and Japanese seaperch (Lateolabrax japonicus) in Tolo Harbour, Hong Kong

Black seabream, Acanthopagrus schlegeli, and Japanese seaperch, Lateolabrax japonicus, are important commercial species in the coastal waters of western Pacific Ocean, including Japan, Korea and China. In Hong Kong, larvae and juveniles of these two species occur in bays and estuaries during late winter and spring. This study reports on the ontogenetic changes in food habits in larvae and juveniles of these species in an artificial rocky shore area. Copepods and cladocerans were the most numerous food items for black seabream. There was a shift to larger and benthic prey as the fishes grew. Japanese seaperch <2.1cm fed predominantly on copepods and cladocerans, while larger prey were added as fish size increased. Japanese seaperch >6.0cm were piscivorous. Maximum prey width increased with fish standard length and mouth gape width in both species. Overall, black seabream showed greater diet breadth than did Japanese seaperch. In black seabream, diet breadth increased with fish size. In Japanese seaperch, diet breadth increased with size for fishes <4.0cm, then decreased as the fishes became piscivorous. Prey selectivity in black seabream was determined using information on prey availability in plankton samples. In general, preference was stronger for cypris larvae, Penilia avirostris and decapod larvae than for copepods and podonids. In recent years, overfishing and environmental degradation have led to the decline of fish populations in Tolo Harbour. Absence of fishes with empty gut indicates that inner Tolo Harbour is still an important nursery area for these two commercial species.