Habitat use and movements of Australian grayling (Prototroctes maraena) in a Victorian coastal stream
D. R. Dawson A B and W. M. Koster A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research, Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, 123 Brown Street, Heidelberg, Vic. 3084, Australia.
B Corresponding author. Email: david.dawson@delwp.vic.gov.au
Marine and Freshwater Research 69(8) 1259-1267 https://doi.org/10.1071/MF17198
Submitted: 29 June 2017 Accepted: 4 January 2018 Published: 3 May 2018
Abstract
Riverine fishes are among the most imperilled fauna in the world; however, for many species, there is little or no understanding of their ecological requirements. The Australian grayling (Prototroctes maraena) is a small diadromous fish endemic to rivers in south-eastern Australia that has declined considerably in range and abundance and is listed as threatened nationally. To improve understanding of the species’ movement ecology and to inform the development of conservation management actions, we examined the day-to-day movements and habitat use of Australian grayling (n = 7) over 8 weeks by using radio-telemetry. Tagged individuals of Australian grayling typically occupied restricted (i.e. tens to hundreds of metres) reaches of stream, and were mostly located in moderate- to fast-flowing habitats (i.e. glide or run), although, at night, use of slower-flowing habitats (i.e. pools) increased. They also undertook longer-distance downstream movements during a period of increased streamflow. Incorporation of such information into management strategies has the potential to improve our capacity to maintain or re-instate the conditions required to conserve and restore Australian grayling populations.
Additional keywords: conservation, diel behaviour, native fish, telemetry.
References
Arthington, A. H., Dulvy, N. K., Gladstone, W., and Winfield, I. J. (2016). Fish conservation in freshwater and marine realms: status, threats and management. Aquatic Conservation 26, 838–857.| Fish conservation in freshwater and marine realms: status, threats and management.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Backhouse, G., Jackson, J., and O’Connor, J. (2008a). Background and implementation information for the Australian grayling Prototroctes maraena national recovery plan. (Department of Sustainability and Environment: Melbourne, Vic., Australia.) Available at http://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/resources/184f9f43-1f10-441d-a918-5df406b2cd2c/files/australian-grayling-background.pdf [Verified 19 February 2018].
Backhouse, G., Jackson, J., and O’Connor, J. (2008b). ‘National Recovery Plan for the Australian Grayling Prototroctes maraena.’ (Department of Sustainability and Environment: Melbourne, Vic., Australia.) Available at http://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/resources/184f9f43-1f10-441d-a918-5df406b2cd2c/files/australian-grayling.pdf [Verified 19 February 2018].
Bates, D., Maechler, M., Bolker, B., and Walker, S. (2015). Fitting linear mixed-effects models using lme4. Journal of Statistical Software 67, 1–48.
| Fitting linear mixed-effects models using lme4.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Bond, N. R., and Lake, P. S. (2003). Local habitat restoration in streams: constraints on the effectiveness of restoration for stream biota. Ecological Management & Restoration 4, 193–198.
| Local habitat restoration in streams: constraints on the effectiveness of restoration for stream biota.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Bond, N. R., and Lake, P. S. (2005). Ecological restoration and large-scale ecological disturbance: the effects of drought on the response by fish to a habitat restoration experiment. Restoration Ecology 13, 39–48.
| Ecological restoration and large-scale ecological disturbance: the effects of drought on the response by fish to a habitat restoration experiment.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Cooke, S. J. (2008). Biotelemetry and biologging in endangered species research and animal conservation: relevance to regional, national, and IUCN Red List threat assessments. Endangered Species Research 4, 165–185.
| Biotelemetry and biologging in endangered species research and animal conservation: relevance to regional, national, and IUCN Red List threat assessments.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Cooke, S., Woodley, C., Brad Eppard, M., Brown, R., and Nielsen, J. (2011). Advancing the surgical implantation of electronic tags in fish: a gap analysis and research agenda based on a review of trends in intracoelomic tagging effects studies. Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries 21, 127–151.
| Advancing the surgical implantation of electronic tags in fish: a gap analysis and research agenda based on a review of trends in intracoelomic tagging effects studies.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Cooke, S. J., Paukert, C., and Hogan, Z. (2012). Endangered river fish: factors hindering conservation and restoration. Endangered Species Research 17, 179–191.
| Endangered river fish: factors hindering conservation and restoration.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Cooke, S. J., Martins, E. G., Struthers, D. P., Gutowsky, L. F. G., Power, M., Doka, S. E., Dettmers, J. M., Crook, D. A., Lucas, M. C., Holbrook, C. M., and Krueger, C. C. (2016). A moving target: incorporating knowledge of the spatial ecology of fish into the assessment and management of freshwater fish populations. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 188, 239.
| A moving target: incorporating knowledge of the spatial ecology of fish into the assessment and management of freshwater fish populations.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Crook, D. A. (2004). Is the home range concept compatible with the movements of two species of lowland river fish? Journal of Animal Ecology 73, 353–366.
| Is the home range concept compatible with the movements of two species of lowland river fish?Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
David, B. O., and Closs, G. P. (2002). Behavior of a stream-dwelling fish before, during, and after high-discharge events. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 131, 762–771.
| Behavior of a stream-dwelling fish before, during, and after high-discharge events.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Dudgeon, D., Arthington, A. H., Gessner, M. O., Kawabata, Z.-I., Knowler, D. J., Lévêque, C., Naiman, R. J., Prieur-Richard, A.-H., Soto, D., Stiassny, M. L. J., and Sullivan, C. A. (2006). Freshwater biodiversity: importance, threats, status and conservation challenges. Biological Reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society 81, 163–182.
| Freshwater biodiversity: importance, threats, status and conservation challenges.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Earth Tech (2006). ‘Environmental Flow Determination for the Tarago and Bunyip Rivers: Issues Paper.’ (Earth Tech Engineering: Melbourne, Vic., Australia.) Available at http://www.vewh.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/368734/03-Tarago-Bunyip-Flow-Recs-RevC-Compressed.pdf [Verified 23 April 2018].
Jackson, P. (1976). A note on the food of the Australian grayling, (Prototroctes maraena) Gunther (Galaxioidei: Prototroctidae). Marine and Freshwater Research 27, 525–528.
| A note on the food of the Australian grayling, (Prototroctes maraena) Gunther (Galaxioidei: Prototroctidae).Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Jowett, I. G. (1993). A method for objectively identifying pool, run, and riffle habitats from physical measurements. New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 27, 241–248.
| A method for objectively identifying pool, run, and riffle habitats from physical measurements.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Koehn, J. (1987). Artificial habitat increases abundance of two-spined blackfish (Gadopsis bispinosis) in Ovens River, Victoria. Technical Report Series number 56, Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research, Department Conservation, Forests and Lands, Melbourne, Vic., Australia.
Koster, W. M., and Crook, D. A. (2008). Diurnal and nocturnal movements of river blackfish (Gadopsis marmoratus) in a south-eastern Australian upland stream. Ecology Freshwater Fish 17, 146–154.
| Diurnal and nocturnal movements of river blackfish (Gadopsis marmoratus) in a south-eastern Australian upland stream.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Koster, W. M., Dawson, D. R., and Crook, D. A. (2013). Downstream spawning migration by the amphidromous Australian grayling (Prototroctes maraena) in a coastal river in south-eastern Australia. Marine and Freshwater Research 64, 31–41.
| Downstream spawning migration by the amphidromous Australian grayling (Prototroctes maraena) in a coastal river in south-eastern Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Koster, W. M., Amtstaetter, F., Dawson, D. R., Morrongiello, J. R., and Reich, P. (2017). Provision of environmental flows promotes spawning of a nationally threatened diadromous fish. Marine and Freshwater Research 68, 159–166.
| Provision of environmental flows promotes spawning of a nationally threatened diadromous fish.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Koster, W. M., Crook, D. A., Dawson, D. R., Gaskill, S., and Morrongiello, J. R. (2018). Predicting the influence of streamflow on migration and spawning of a threatened diadromous fish, the Australian grayling Prototroctes maraena. Environmental Management 61, 443–453.
| Predicting the influence of streamflow on migration and spawning of a threatened diadromous fish, the Australian grayling Prototroctes maraena.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:STN:280:DC%2BC1cvktlSktg%3D%3D&md5=950b0a0328a3670dc96964d3f66b2ebaCAS |
Lintermans, M. (2013). A review of on-ground recovery actions for threatened freshwater fish in Australia. Marine and Freshwater Research 64, 775–791.
| A review of on-ground recovery actions for threatened freshwater fish in Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Manly, B., McDonald, L., Thomas, D., McDonald, T., and Erickson, W. (2002). ‘Resource Selection by Animals: Statistical Analysis and Design for Field Studies.’ (Kluwer: Dordrecht, Netherlands.)
McMahon, T. A., and Finlayson, B. L. (2003). Droughts and anti-droughts: the low flow hydrology of Australian rivers. Freshwater Biology 48, 1147–1160.
| Droughts and anti-droughts: the low flow hydrology of Australian rivers.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Pusey, B. J., Arthington, A. H., and Read, M. G. (1995). Species richness and spatial variation in fish assemblage structure in two rivers of the Wet Tropics of northern Queensland, Australia. Environmental Biology of Fishes 42, 181–199.
| Species richness and spatial variation in fish assemblage structure in two rivers of the Wet Tropics of northern Queensland, Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Roussel, J. M., Bardonnet, A., and Claude, A. (1999). Microhabitats of brown trout when feeding on drift and when resting in a lowland salmonid brook: effects on weighted usable area. Archiv für Hydrobiologie 146, 413–429.
| Microhabitats of brown trout when feeding on drift and when resting in a lowland salmonid brook: effects on weighted usable area.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Saddlier, S., Koehn, J. D., and Hammer, M. P. (2013). Let’s not forget the small fishes: conservation of two threatened species of pygmy perch in south-eastern Australia. Marine and Freshwater Research 64, 874–886.
| Let’s not forget the small fishes: conservation of two threatened species of pygmy perch in south-eastern Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Walsh, C. T., Reinfelds, I. V., Gray, C. A., West, R. J., van der Meulen, D. E., and Craig, J. R. (2012). Seasonal residency and movement patterns of two co-occurring catadromous percichthyids within a south-eastern Australian river. Ecology Freshwater Fish 21, 145–159.
| Seasonal residency and movement patterns of two co-occurring catadromous percichthyids within a south-eastern Australian river.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Watt-Pringle, P. A., Cowley, P. D., and Götz, A. (2013). Residency and small-scale movement behaviour of three endemic sparid fishes in their shallow rocky subtidal nursery habitat, South Africa. African Zoology 48, 30–38.
| Residency and small-scale movement behaviour of three endemic sparid fishes in their shallow rocky subtidal nursery habitat, South Africa.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Winter, J. D. (1996). Advances in underwater biotelemetry. In ‘Fisheries Techniques’. (Eds B. R. Murphy and D. W. Willis.) pp. 550–590. (American Fisheries Society: Bethesda, MD, USA.)
