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The spatio -temporal dynamics of fish and invertebrate communities within coastal wetland systems. Rose Esther Stuart A thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology at the University of Otago Dunedin, New Zealand 2021 For my daughter Alice, Let your curiosity lead the way. i Acknowledgements There are many people who have helped to make this thesis a reality, I have thoroughly enjoyed the process of research and writing but could not have done it without such wonderful support. First of all, tremendous thanks to my supervisors Gerry Closs and Travis Ingram, your guidance and advice has been invaluable. I have enjoyed all our conversations about fish, even when they were a little off topic. Many thanks to the Waiau Trust and in particular Jan Riddell, I have had such a great time working in the wonderful wetland you have spent so much time and effort into creating, thank you for the opportunity to explore and study such a beautiful place. I have been fortunate to have many people help out with my fieldwork, your company and conversation made the long car trips much more enjoyable and your assistance in the field made some of the more tedious tasks much more fun. I have also had some great people help me with lab work. Thanks to Nicky McHugh for sharing your advice and expertise, your guidance definitely helped avoid some time-consuming mistakes; and to Jerusha Bennet for your help with processing otoliths, I really appreciate it. Lastly, I need to thank my family and friends who provided so much encouragement and feedback, and who listened to my endless interesting facts about fish and wetlands and invertebrates and… I am so grateful for the support from my husband Mike, your belief in me made this feel much more achievable, it would have been much harder without you by my side. ii Abstract This thesis investigates the spatial and temporal dynamics of fish and invertebrate populations within coastal wetlands in Southland, New Zealand. Each chapter focusses on a different aspect of the community and its interaction with the environment. Initially fish in four systems were surveyed over two years, where great variation in abundance and diversity of species was observed, particularly in relation to connectivity to other waterways (Chapter 2). During the survey period, significant dewatering events occurred; the duration of these low water events had a significant impact on how rapidly the community recovered. Following this was an in-depth investigation of the invertebrate community dynamics over a spring to autumn sampling period, focussed in one of the initial wetland areas, a constructed wetland system with many small interconnected ponds (Chapter 3). A progression of dominant microcrustaceans were observed as was a succession of larger more predatory taxa. Spatial variation was also observed, related to hydrological connectivity and nutrient levels. An investigation into īnanga population dynamics was also conducted, as they are a key species in this system and there is a notable gap in knowledge on their habits within small ponds (Chapter 4). This found spring-hatching fish with a faster growth rate than those that hatch later in the year. Diet preferences indicate both benthic and pelagic foraging, and the presence and consumption of microplastic filaments. The study culminates in an in-depth investigation of the recovery of both fish and invertebrate communities after a drought within one system, tying together observations from the other chapters (Chapter 5). This highlighted the importance of spatial heterogeneity and connectivity for rapid invertebrate recovery, as well as the value of deep channels that are more resistant to drying in supporting fish recolonization. Overall, this research has provided insights into communities of fish and invertebrates, generating new information relevant to the specific systems and species as well as the wider body of knowledge on wetlands. iii Table of Contents ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .......................................................................................................................................... II ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................................................................. III LIST OF FIGURES .................................................................................................................................................... VI LIST OF TABLES ................................................................................................................................................... VIII CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................ 1 1.1 WETLANDS ...................................................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 NEW ZEALAND WETLANDS .................................................................................................................................. 2 1.3 WETLAND CONSERVATION .................................................................................................................................. 4 1.4 THESIS OUTLINE ................................................................................................................................................ 5 CHAPTER 2. SPATIAL AND TEMPORAL VARIABILITY OF FISH COMMUNITIES WITHIN SOUTHLAND COASTAL WETLAND SYSTEMS ............................................................................................................................................... 9 2.1 ABSTRACT ........................................................................................................................................................ 9 2.2 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................................. 9 2.3 METHODS ..................................................................................................................................................... 11 2.3.1 Study sites .............................................................................................................................................. 11 2.3.2 Sampling ................................................................................................................................................ 14 2.3.3 Data processing and statistics ............................................................................................................... 14 2.4 RESULTS ........................................................................................................................................................ 15 2.4.1 Community composition and population variability .............................................................................. 15 2.4.2 Effects of hydrology ............................................................................................................................... 18 2.5 DISCUSSION ................................................................................................................................................... 20 2.5.1 Differences between systems ................................................................................................................. 20 2.5.2 Impacts of hydrology ............................................................................................................................. 21 2.5.3 Management implications ..................................................................................................................... 22 2.6 CONCLUSIONS ................................................................................................................................................ 23 CHAPTER 3. DRIVERS OF INVERTEBRATE ABUNDANCE AND COMMUNITY COMPOSITION IN A SMALL POND COMPLEX 24 3.1 ABSTRACT ...................................................................................................................................................... 24 3.2 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................... 24 3.3 METHODS ..................................................................................................................................................... 26 3.3.1 Study site ................................................................................................................................................ 26 3.3.2 Environmental parameters .................................................................................................................... 27 3.3.3 Invertebrate sampling ............................................................................................................................ 29 3.3.4 Data processing and statistics ............................................................................................................... 29 3.4 RESULTS ........................................................................................................................................................ 31 3.4.1 Environmental factors ............................................................................................................................ 31 3.4.2 Invertebrate community .......................................................................................................................