Spatial and Temporal Patterns in Fish Assemblages Following an Artificially Extended Floodplain Inundation Event, Northern Murray-Darling Basin, Australia
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Environmental Management DOI 10.1007/s00267-010-9432-3 Spatial and Temporal Patterns in Fish Assemblages Following an Artificially Extended Floodplain Inundation Event, Northern Murray-Darling Basin, Australia Robert J. Rolls • G. Glenn Wilson Received: 7 July 2009 / Accepted: 5 January 2010 Ó Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2010 Abstract Water extraction from dryland rivers is often primary production, the use of the environmental water associated with declines in the health of river and floodplain purchase is likely to have promoted recruitment of fish ecosystems due to reduced flooding frequency and extent of populations by providing greater access to floodplain floodplain inundation. Following moderate flooding in early nursery habitats, thereby improving the ability to persist 2008 in the Narran River, Murray-Darling Basin, Australia, during years of little or no flow. 10,423 ML of water was purchased from agricultural water users and delivered to the river to prolong inundation of its Keywords Habitat use Á Migratory barriers Á terminal lake system to improve the recruitment success of Environmental flows Á Floodplain rivers Á colonial waterbirds that had started breeding in response to Murray-Darling Basin Á Recruitment the initial flooding. This study examined the spatial and temporal patterns of fish assemblages in river and floodplain habitats over eight months following flooding to assess the Introduction possible ecological benefits of flood extension. Although the abundances of most fish species were greater in river Flow variability in dryland floodplain river systems has a channel habitats, the fish assemblage used floodplain habi- fundamental influence on the environment that fish tats when inundated. Young-of-the-year (4–12 months age) assemblages inhabit. To persist in these environments, fish golden perch (Macquaria ambigua) and bony bream must tolerate extreme hydrological variability at a range of (Nematalosa erebi) were consistently sampled in floodplain spatial and temporal scales, and the associated varying sites when inundated, suggesting that the floodplain pro- availability of critical habitats (Balcombe and others 2006). vides rearing habitat for these species. Significant differ- As such, their life histories must be able to accommodate ences in the abundances of fish populations between reaches variable and unpredictable flow events, in both their habitat upstream and downstream of a weir in the main river use and recruitment ecology. However, there is consider- channel indicates that the effectiveness of the environ- able debate regarding the role of hydrology in recruitment mental water release was limited by restricted connectivity of fish populations and assemblages in Australian dryland within the broader catchment. Although the seasonal timing floodplain rivers (see Humphries and others 1999; Mallen- of flood extension may have coincided with sub-optimal Cooper and Stuart 2003; Roberts and others 2008; Ebner and others 2009). Understanding the hydrological and habitat requirements of fish populations for spawning and R. J. Rolls Á G. G. Wilson recruitment is necessary to predict responses to flow events Ecosystem Management, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia among fish species (Growns 2008), particularly given the structural and hydrological complexity of dryland flood- Present Address: plain river systems (Puckridge and others 1998) and & R. J. Rolls ( ) diverse life histories of fishes that inhabit these regions. Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia In Australia, water extraction, diversion and regulation e-mail: r.rolls@griffith.edu.au in lowland river systems has significantly contributed to the 123 Environmental Management declines in the ecological condition of river and floodplain health. In April 2008, the Murray-Darling Basin Com- habitats (Kingsford 2000a). Differences in fish assemblage mission (MDBC) purchased 10,423 ML of water from composition, abundance and establishment of non-native agricultural water users in the Condamine-Balonne catch- species between floodplain rivers of varying degrees of ment (northern MDB) to prolong a natural flood event flow regime alteration have been previously examined in (MDBC 2008a). This is first time the MDBC (now Murray- the Murray-Darling Basin (MDB), Australia (e.g., Gehrke Darling Basin Authority) has purchased ‘temporary’ water and others 1995; Humphries and others 2002; Growns for environmental purposes in the northern Murray-Darling 2008; Humphries and others 2008). For example, in the Basin. ‘Temporary’ water is defined as water extracted southern MDB, fish assemblages in the highly regulated from rivers under approved event flow management rules Campaspe River are dominated by non-native species and diverted to large on-farm storages for later agricultural whereas the neighbouring moderately regulated Broken use (MDBC 2008a). The primary purpose of this envi- River has greater proportions of native species (Humphries ronmental flow was to extend the duration of floodplain and others 2008). Throughout the broader MDB, native fish wetland inundation within the Ramsar listed Narran Lakes diversity has been negatively associated with increased Nature Reserve to increase recruitment of colonial water- hydrological disturbance (Gehrke and others 1995). Fur- birds which had bred during the initial flooding (see thermore, in the Cooper Creek system (central Australia), Kingsford and others 2008; Cummins and Duggan 2009). Puckridge and others (2000) found the abundance of native This environmental water release provided the opportunity species such as Australian smelt (Retropinna semoni) and to examine the spatial and temporal patterns in fish bony bream (Nematalosa erebi) increased in years of assemblage composition and recruitment in river and flooding, indicating that flooding promotes a positive floodplain habitats in the lower Narran River, and deter- response in fish assemblage productivity. Given that flow mine if a significant instream barrier (weir) limited the regulation influences instream habitat diversity and flood- benefits of prolonged flooding for fish. Two predictions plain connectivity (Bowen and others 2003), altered water were made. Firstly, that while fish assemblages would use management practices, including flow extraction and reg- the floodplain habitat during inundation, the presence of the ulation, may contribute to declines in fish assemblage upstream weir would impede the ability of fish assem- health in dryland floodplain river systems. blages to disperse throughout the lower Narran River In dryland floodplain rivers, fish need to be able to move during flood recession. Secondly, the inundated floodplain between reaches to colonise habitats during flooding to lakes and backwaters would be dominated by new recruits ensure regional persistence is maintained. Flow regulation and young-of-the-year (YOY) cohorts, indicating that these infrastructure, such as weirs, also compound the direct habitats act as a nursery environment. effect of flow regime change in floodplain rivers by reducing connectivity between reaches for fish. In the lower Murrumbidgee River, Australia, fish species such as Methods native Australian smelt and non-native common carp (Cyprinus carpio) have been sampled in greater abundance Study Region during summer and autumn downstream of a low-level weir when compared to the upstream reach (Baumgartner The Narran Lakes system is located in the lower Cond- 2004), indicating that the weir restricted seasonal move- amine-Balonne catchment, New South Wales, Australia, ment. However, few studies have assessed the impacts of near the Queensland-New South Wales border (Fig. 1). migratory barriers on fish assemblages under varying The Narran River flows south from the Balonne River in hydrological conditions. southern Queensland to the Ramsar listed Narran Lakes Environmental water releases (EWRs) are often initiated Nature Reserve, a series of terminal floodplain delta wet- for dryland floodplain rivers where water extraction has lands. At the southern end of the Narran River upstream of contributed to degraded ecological health in both river the floodplain lakes, a 2 m high weir is located at Narran channel and floodplain habitats, by providing water to Park, where no facilities currently exist to facilitate maintain refugia habitats for biota and ecosystem processes movement by fish between reaches when the weir is not such as fish recruitment (e.g., Rayner and others 2009). flooded. Following large flood events, floodplain areas are Using examples of EWRs as large-scale ecological exper- inundated for varying durations (weeks to months) iments (Poff and others 2003), managers and scientists can depending on local topography and distance from the main make recommendations for the specific uses of environ- channel of the Narran River. mental water (e.g., King and others 2009) and direct Four study sites were located upstream of the Narran management agencies to target particular regions or Park weir (29° 420 S, 147° 220 E) in the Narran River (sites reaches with EWRs to maintain or improve ecological 1–4), three sites downstream of the weir (sites 5–7) and 123 Environmental Management Fig. 2 a Total daily discharge and b depth in the Narran River at Narran Park between October 2007 and December 2008 indicating flood events, the environmental water release (EWR) and sampling Fig. 1 Locations of study sites in the lower Narran River (Cond- events amine-Balonne catchment, Australia) 1970s, several government and privately