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Marine and Freshwater Research Marine and Freshwater Research Society
Advances in the aquatic sciences

Marine and Freshwater Research

Marine and Freshwater Research

Marine and Freshwater Research is a multidisciplinary journal publishing original research and reviews on all aquatic environments and subject areas. Read more about the journalMore

Editors-in-Chief: Shokoofeh Shamsi and Vinicius Farjalla

Publishing Model: Hybrid. Open Access options available.

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Latest

These articles are the latest published in the journal. Marine and Freshwater Research is published under a continuous publication model. More information is available on our Continuous Publication page.

Published online 24 March 2025

MF24149A review of urchin barrens and the longspined sea urchin (Centrostephanus rodgersii) in New South Wales, Australia

Rachel Przeslawski 0000-0003-0269-3755, Rowan C. Chick 0000-0002-9397-6664, Tom Davis 0000-0003-0199-2024, Jeremy K. Day, Tim M. Glasby, Nathan Knott 0000-0002-7873-0412 and Maria Byrne
 

This review indicates that the presence, persistence and role of barrens and the longspined sea urchin (Centrostephanus rodgersii) seem unique in New South Wales, south-eastern Australia, and likely warrant unique management strategies between the north and far south of the state and among neighbouring jurisdictions as the species shifts its distribution.

The evaluation of the management effectiveness of the Moulouya River Estuary in north-eastern Morocco, by using the Ramsar Management Effectiveness Tracking Tool (R-METT), has shown that management effectiveness of this site of biological and ecological interest (SIBE) is inadequate, requiring significant government conservation intervention with the support of conservation partners.

Published online 20 March 2025

MF24205A consistent vegetation classification for wetland conservation and management in the Murray–Darling Basin, Australia

Yiwen Chen 0000-0002-2090-6788, Matthew J Colloff 0000-0002-3765-0627, Michael D Doherty and Jamie Pittock 0000-0001-6293-996X
 

We provide a basin-wide wetland vegetation classification that is simple, consistent, and reproducible, to support wetland conservation in the Murray–Darling Basin. We mapped the extent and distribution of wetland vegetation using ArcGIS Pro. We found that very few wetlands are recognised as protected areas and are unlikely to be managed through environmental flows.

Published online 20 March 2025

MF24247Indigenous Ecological Knowledge of marine and freshwater organisms and ecosystems on Sea Country: from past absences to future inclusion

Mitchell C. Gibbs, Raphaela S. Rotolo-Ross, Laura M. Parker, Elliot Scanes, James Gibbs and Pauline M. Ross 0000-0002-8714-5194
 

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples of Australia have lived on Sea Country for greater than 60,000 years. It is important that the ‘ecological’ in Indigenous Knowledge is prioritised in marine and freshwater research to repair, restore and sustain marine and freshwater organisms and ecosystems on Sea Country.

This article belongs to the collection: Science in Sea Country.

Published online 19 March 2025

MF24210Drought management for long-term water sustainability and resilience

Shan-e-hyder Soomro 0000-0003-1708-8451, Muhammad Waseem Boota 0000-0003-0770-0715, Jiali Guo, Yinghai Li, Hui Qin, Monir Ahmad Meahrayen, Caihong Hu, Jiahui Gu and Jijun Chen
 

The global water crisis, driven by unsustainable resource consumption, exacerbates drought severity and water scarcity. This assessment emphasises the utility of drought indices for evaluating regional vulnerability and monitoring patterns. It critiques large-scale engineering interventions, advocating for sustainable, nature-based management strategies. The findings underscore the necessity of global cooperation in water resource management to enhance ecosystem resilience and ensure long-term water security.

This article belongs to the collection: Global perspectives: sustainable management of freshwater ecosystems.

Published online 19 March 2025

MF24200Temperature effects on parental care behaviour in native and invasive Palaemon shrimp species

Mirko Liuzzo 0000-0002-1686-7843, Chiara Facca, Francesco Cavraro, Luca Altavilla 0000-0001-7564-1839 and Stefano Malavasi
 

This study investigated how increasing temperatures influence parental care behaviour in three shrimp species (Palaemon macrodactylus, Palaemon elegans and Palaemon adspersus), with a focus on pleopod fanning. The results showed significant species-specific differences, with P. elegans exhibiting the lowest fanning rates, suggesting an efficient regulatory strategy.

Published online 12 March 2025

MF24017Recognising diversity in wetlands and farming systems to support sustainable agriculture and conserve wetlands

Anne A. van Dam 0000-0002-5073-7241, Hugh Robertson, Roland Prieler 0009-0002-7256-6882, Asmita Dubey and C. Max Finlayson 0000-0001-9991-7289
 

A review of the impacts of food production on wetlands underlined the need for transforming food production to achieve sustainable wetland management. Sustainable agriculture–wetland interactions can be achieved by more efficient use of water and fertilisers, integration of crop–livestock–fish production, better support for small producers, and governance of food production that recognises the ecosystem services of wetlands in catchments.

Published online 06 March 2025

MF24160Repairing Australia’s inland river and groundwater systems: nine priority actions, benefits and the finance gap

S. J. Capon 0000-0002-1975-553X, C. M. Steinfeld, J. Pittock 0000-0001-6293-996X, B. J. Moggridge, A. Ward, L. J. Baumgartner, F. Sheldon 0000-0001-9944-6392, M. Ward and D. L. Medaris
 

We propose and cost nine priority actions to repair inland river and groundwater systems in Australia, including riparian revegetation, surface and groundwater recovery and management of barriers to flow and fish movement. Our estimates suggest approximate annual investment from 2025 to 2054 of A$3.1 billion (2022 dollar values). Revenue generated through the carbon market through riparian restoration could cover between 37 and 72% of the costs, reducing investment needed to between A$0.9 billion and A$2.0 billion. We highlight opportunities for Indigenous nations to implement associated on-ground works.

The grey nurse shark (Carcharias taurus) is a Critically Endangered species with two genetically distinct Australian populations. An individual caught outside the species’ known distribution range off the Northern Territory of Australia was found to be genetically compatible with the western Australian population and not with the more highly endangered eastern Australian population. Our results imply a possible extension of the western Australian population and are useful baseline information for the development of conservation strategies for grey nurse shark in northern Australian waters.

Published online 27 February 2025

MF25023Attributes and effects of the invasive air-breathing freshwater snail Physa acuta on ecosystem properties and services

Gonzalo A. Collado 0000-0001-9076-4255, Cristina Damborenea, Gustavo Darrigran and Álvaro Alonso
 

Freshwater ecosystems face significant disruption from non-native species such as the sewage snail (Physa acuta). Our study comprehensively assesses its impacts on ecosystem services, showing that negative effects outweigh positive ones, particularly in cultural and provisioning services. Although it harms many services and native fauna, it can serve as a bioindicator, highlighting the need for thorough evaluations of invasive species.

Published online 24 February 2025

MF24221Developing geospatial tools to identify refuges from alien trout invasion in Australia to assist freshwater conservation

Hugh Allan 0000-0002-0251-7332, Richard P. Duncan, Peter Unmack, Duanne White and Mark Lintermans
 

Introduced predatory fish species have caused small-bodied fish to decline worldwide. Some native fish now exist only in headwater streams where they are protected from invasive introduced species by barriers such as waterfalls. We explored the use of remote-sensing technology to improve processes to find and characterise these barriers and assist with future freshwater fish conservation.

Published online 07 February 2025

MF24240Age and growth of the endangered Maugean skate (Zearaja maugeana) by using microchemical analysis

Claire van Werven 0009-0004-3095-2042, David Moreno, Sean Tracey and Jeremy Lyle
 

This research has described the age and growth of the endangered Maugean skate population in Macquarie Harbour, Tasmania, by applying a novel ageing technique to opportunistically collected vertebrae. The study has important implications for the assessment of the population of the Maugean skate and subsequent management decisions.

Humpback whales frequent Gold Coast Bay, Australia, for breeding, resting, and migration, facing vessel traffic. This study used 4319 citizen science whale sightings (2011–20) to map whale habitats. Calving pods stayed near shore, overlapping with non-calving pods further in the bay. Vessels affected up to 80% of these areas, endangering mother–calf pods. Evaluating all bay-bound vessels is suggested to safeguard the whales.

Published online 04 February 2025

MF24130Trends in eastern blue groper (Achoerodus viridis) abundance along south-eastern Australia (New South Wales): the influence of latitude, climate change and potential depth refuges

Nathan A. Knott 0000-0002-7873-0412, Matthew J. Rees 0000-0002-2472-6215, Tom R. Davis 0000-0003-0199-2024, David Harasti 0000-0002-2851-9838, Hamish A. Malcolm, Matthew D. Taylor 0000-0002-1519-9521, Belinda G. Curley, Stephen Morris, Neville S. Barrett, Rick D. Stuart-Smith, Graham J. Edgar and Rachel Przeslawski 0000-0003-0269-3755
 

Eastern blue groper (Achoerodus viridis) is an iconic Australian rocky-reef fish, and we analysed its abundances for more than a decade across the New South Wales coastline. Blue groper was most abundant in temperate rather than subtropical waters along this coast. Its abundances were stable on deeper reefs, but declined steadily through time on shallow reefs. This pattern indicates that blue groper is declining because of warming oceans, although deeper reefs may provide a thermal refuge.

Published online 31 January 2025

MF24185The seagrass Ruppia and its influence on the structure and multiscale dynamics of zooplankton in a hypersaline lake

Nickolai Shadrin, Vladimir Yakovenko and Elena Anufriieva 0000-0002-6237-7941
 

Photographs of thickets of Ruppia maritima in Lake Moynaki (Crimea), showing thicket position on the lake (left) and a close up (right).

Hypersaline waters are some of the most extreme habitats but have high productivity, and the potential to support bird diversity as well as develop multi-species aquaculture. We provide new information on interactions between seagrass Ruppia and zooplankton in those waters, which gives a better understanding of unique ecosystems and is valuable for the management of hypersaline water bodies and the development of sustainable polyaquaculture in them. (Photographs by N. Shadrin.)

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