Free Standard AU & NZ Shipping For All Book Orders Over $80!
Register      Login
Marine and Freshwater Research Marine and Freshwater Research Society
Advances in the aquatic sciences
Shopping Cart: ( empty )
You are here: Home > Journals > MF > MF09209
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 61(3)

Using biological information to support proactive strategies for managing freshwater fish during drought

David A. Crook A C D , Paul Reich A B , Nick R. Bond B C , Damien McMaster B , John D. Koehn A and P. Sam Lake B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research, Department of Sustainability and Environment, 123 Brown St., Heidelberg, Vic. 3084, Australia.

B School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Vic. 3800, Australia.

C eWater CRC, University of Canberra Innovation Centre, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.

D Corresponding author. Email: David.Crook@dse.vic.gov.au

Marine and Freshwater Research 61(3) 379-387 https://doi.org/10.1071/MF09209
Submitted: 20 August 2009  Accepted: 16 December 2009   Published: 29 March 2010

Abstract

This paper provides an assessment of the biological attributes of fish species in south-eastern Australia and rates their potential risk from the impacts of drought. We used scientific literature and expert opinion to conduct a semiquantitative assessment of attributes considered to influence species resistance and resilience to drought for 15 freshwater fish species found in south-eastern Australia. We also present a conceptual framework to guide management of fish populations during drought. The framework focuses on (1) quantifying spatial variation in the severity of drought impacts on particular habitats (rivers, wetlands etc.), (2) assembling information on drought sensitivities of regionally important species, (3) identifying high risk areas (based on species sensitivity and drought severity), (4) determining and implementing appropriate management actions (pre-emptive, responsive), (5) monitoring outcomes and (6) disseminating information on outcomes. In many regions, historic population declines will serve to exacerbate the impacts of drought, and thus are a major threat to successful recovery from drought. Although we discuss both long-term, pre-emptive planning and short-term, responsive management actions, we contend that a long-term view is required to successfully address the threats posed by drought. Furthermore, although droughts clearly represent a severe disturbance to fish populations, ultimately it is anthropogenic factors that exacerbate drought and constrain recovery pathways (at global, regional and local scales), rather than drought per se. These factors must be addressed if we are to ensure the long-term viability of fish populations in inland aquatic ecosystems.

Additional keywords: Australia, climate change, refugia, resilience, resistance, tolerances.


Acknowledgements

The authors thank Stephen Balcombe, Lee Baumgartner, Brendan Ebner, John Harris, Alison King, Jarod Lyon, Jed Macdonald, Shaun Meredith, Clayton Sharpe, Jason Thiem, Zeb Tonkin and Brenton Zampatti for their participation in the survey of biological attributes of fish species. Valuable comments on previous drafts of the manuscript were provided by Paulo Lay, Sam Marwood (Victorian Department of Sustainability and Environment), Leon Metzeling (Victorian Environmental Protection Authority), Heleena Bamford and Melissa Morley (Murray–Darling Basin Authority), Gerry Closs (University of Otago) and two anonymous referees. Financial support for this work was provided by the Victorian Department of Sustainability and Environment (Sustainable Water, Environment and Innovation Division), the Murray–Darling Basin Authority (Native Fish Strategy) and the eWater Cooperative Research Centre.


References

Balcombe, S. R. , Bunn, S. E. , McKenzie-Smith, F. J. , and Davies, P. M. (2005). Variability of fish diets between dry and flood periods in an arid zone floodplain river. Journal of Fish Biology 67, 1552–1567.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Closs G. P., Balcombe S. R., Driver P., McNeil D. G., and Shirley M. J. (2006). The importance of floodplain wetlands to Murray–Darling Fish: What’s there? What do we know? What do we need to know? In ‘Native Fish and Wetlands in the Murray-Darling Basin: Action Plan, Knowledge Gaps and Supporting Papers’. (Ed. B. Phillips.) pp. 14–28. (Murray-Darling Basin Commission: Canberra.)

Commonwealth Science and Industrial Research Organisation, Australian Bureau of Meteorology (2007). Climate change in Australia: technical report 2007. CSIRO, Canberra.

Drew M. M. (2008). A guide to the management of native fish: Victorian coastal rivers, estuaries and wetlands. Department of Sustainability and Environment and the Corangamite Catchment Management Authority, Victoria.

Elliott, J. M. (2000). Pools as refugia for brown trout during two summer droughts: trout responses to thermal and oxygen stress. Journal of Fish Biology 56, 938–948.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Koehn J. (2005). The loss of valuable Murray cod in fish kills: a science and management perspective. In ‘Management of Murray Cod in the Murray-Darling Basin: Statement, Recommendations and Supporting Papers Proceedings of a Workshop held in Canberra, ACT, 3–4 June 2004’. (Eds M. Lintermans and B. Phillips.) pp. 73–82. (Murray-Darling Basin Commission and Cooperative Research Centre for Freshwater Ecology: Canberra.)

Koehn J. D., and O’Connor W. G. (1990). Biological information for management of native freshwater fish in Victoria. Department of Conservation and Environment, Melbourne.

Lake, P. S. (2000). Disturbance, patchiness, and diversity in streams. Journal of the North American Benthological Society 19, 573–592.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Lake P. S. (2008). ‘Drought, the “Creeping Disaster”. Effects on Aquatic Ecosystems’. (Land & Water Australia: Canberra.)

Lake, P. S. , and Bond, N. R. (2007). Australian futures: Aquatic ecosystems and human water usage. Futures 39, 288–305.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Lintermans M., and Cottingham P. (Eds) (2007). Fish out of water – lessons for managing native fish during drought. Final report of the drought expert panel. Murray–Darling Basin Commission, Canberra.

Lyon, J. P. , and O’Connor, J. P. (2008). Smoke on the water: can riverine fish populations recover following a catastrophic fire-related sediment slug? Austral Ecology 33, 794–806.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Matthews W. J. (1998). ‘Patterns in Freshwater Fish Ecology’. (Chapman & Hall: New York.)

Matthews, W. J. , and Marsh-Matthews, E. (2003). Effects of drought on fish across axes of space, time and ecological complexity. Freshwater Biology 48, 1232–1253.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | McMaster D., Bond N., and Reich P. (2008). Review of the 2007/2008 CMA dry inflow contingency plans. Report to the Department of Sustainability and Environment, Melbourne.

McNeil D. G. (2004). Ecophysiology and behaviour of Ovens River floodplain fish: hypoxia tolerance and the role of the physicochemical environment in structuring Australian billabong fish communities. PhD Thesis, La Trobe University, Bundoora.

McNeil, D. G. , and Closs, G. P. (2007). Behavioural responses of a south-east Australian floodplain fish community to gradual hypoxia. Freshwater Biology 52, 412–420.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | Morrongiello J., Elith J., and Crook D. (2006). Impacts of drought on fish in Victorian rivers and streams. Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research, Heidelberg.

Muchmore, C. B. , and Dziegielewski, B. (1983). Impact of drought on quality of potential water supply sources in the Sangamon River Basin. Journal of the American Water Resources Association 19, 37–46.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Murray–Darling Basin Commission (2004). Native fish strategy for the Murray–Darling Basin 2003–2013. Murray–Darling Basin Commission, Canberra.

Palmer, M. A. , Reidy, C. , Nilsson, C. , Florke, M. , Alcamo, J. , Lake, P. S. , and Bond, N. R. (2008). Climate change and the world’s river basins: anticipating response options. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 6, 81–89.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Pusey B., Kennard M., and Arthington A. (2004). ‘Freshwater Fishes of North-Eastern Australia’. (CSIRO Publishing: Collingwood.)

Rose, P. , Metzeling, L. , and Catzikiris, S. (2008). Can macroinvertebrate rapid bioassessment methods be used to assess river health during drought in south-eastern Australian streams? Freshwater Biology 53, 2626–2638.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | Vrijenhoek R. C. (1996). Conservation genetics of North America desert fishes. In ’Conservation Genetics: Case Histories from Nature’. (Eds J. C. Avise and J. L. Hamrick.) pp. 367–397. (Kluwer: Norwell, MA, USA.)