Fish Distribution in Far Western Queensland, Australia: The Importance of Habitat, Connectivity and Natural Flows

Abstract

Abstract:The endorheic Lake Eyre Basin drains 1.2 million square kilometres of arid central Australia, yet provides habitat for only 30 species of freshwater fish due to the scarcity of water and extreme climate. The majority are hardy riverine species that are adapted to the unpredictable flow regimes, and capable of massive population booms following heavy rainfall and the restoration of connectivity between isolated waterholes. The remainder are endemic specialists from isolated springs with very restricted ranges, and many are listed under relevant state and national endangered species legislation and also by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). For these spring communities, which are sustained by water from the Great Artesian Basin, survival is contingent on suitable habitat persisting alongside extractive mining, agriculture and the imposition of alien species. For the riverine species, which frequently undertake long migrations into ephemeral systems, preservation of the natural flow regime is paramount, as this reinstates riverine connectivity. In this study, fish were sampled from the Bulloo River in the east to the Mulligan River in the west, along a temporal timeframe and using a standard set of sampling gears. Fish presence was influenced by factors such as natural catchment divides, sampling time, ephemerality and the occurrence of connection flows and flooding. Despite the comparatively low diversity of species, the aquatic systems of this isolated region remain in good ecological condition, and as such they offer excellent opportunities to investigate the ecology of arid water systems. However, the presence of both endangered species (in the springs) and invasive and translocated species more widely OPEN ACCESS Diversity 2014, 6 381 indicates that active protection and management of this unique area is essential to maintain biodiversity and ecosystem integrity.

Suitable habitat mapping in the Yangtze River Estuary influenced by land reclamations

“…Considering different factors to assess the suitable habitat may result in a different pattern of suitable habitat, which may lead to different degrees of habitat fragmentation . To date, results of several studies reported habitat fragmentation played an important role in habitat quality (Radinger et al, 2015;Kerezsy et al, 2014;Reino et al, 2013), which might subsequently influence species dispersal patterns (Diebel et al, 2010;Stoll et al, 2013), block biological connectivity, reduce intraspecific gene flow (Dixo, 2009), affect biomass, and even lead to species extinction (Fahrig, 2002;Chelgren et al, 2014).…”

Untitled

“…Furthermore, the strength of this interspecific competition is likely to become more intense due to shifting population structures and changing reliability of shared food resources, as seen in other catchments (Olden et al, 2008;Morrongiello et al, 2011). Fish assemblage shifts caused by the incursion and integration of O. lineolata have been postulated by Kerezsy et al (2014) and Sternberg & Cockayne (2018).…”

Oil and gas exploration and development in the Lake Eyre Basin: distribution and consequences for rivers and wetlands, including the Coongie Lakes Ramsar Site

“…The rivers of the Lake Eyre Basin largely remain free-flowing, supporting significant wetland and floodplain areas (Kingsford et al 1998;Kingsford 2017a), including the Coongie Lakes Ramsar Site (Fig. 1), and significant biodiversity (Kerezsy et al 2014;Arthington and Balcombe 2017;Kingsford et al 2017a). They support 33 wetlands of national importance, identified by the Northern Territory, New South Wales, Queensland and South Australian Governments (Fig.…”