Decadal changes in the ichthyofauna of a eutrophic estuary following a remedial engineering modification and subsequent environmental shifts

Potter, I. C.; Veale, Lauren; Tweedley, J.R.; Clarke, K.R.

doi:10.1016/j.ecss.2016.08.023

Cited by 40 publications

(31 citation statements)

References 64 publications

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“…The ability to osmoregulate in a broad range of salinities is advantageous in the Vasse and Wonnerup estuaries as salinities can change from[90 in April to\1 in June (Lane et al 2011). The total number of six fish species recorded during the present study is far lower than that recorded in the shallow, nearshore waters of the nearby permanently open Swan-Canning (61), Peel-Harvey (53) and Leschenault (43) estuaries (Valesini et al 2014;Veale et al 2014;Potter et al 2016). It is also less than the number of species found in estuaries on the south coast of Western Australia (i.e.…”

Section: Mean Number Of Species Density and Faunal Compositioncontrasting

confidence: 65%

Baseline survey of the fish fauna of a highly eutrophic estuary and evidence for its colonisation by Goldfish (Carassius auratus)

2017

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This study represents the first quantitative survey of the fish fauna of the highly eutrophic Vasse and Wonnerup estuaries, part of the Ramsar-listed Vasse-Wonnerup Wetland System in south-western Australia. Sampling at five sites in each of these estuaries occurred in January 2012 (austral summer) to provide a species inventory and determine whether the number of species, total density and fish community composition differed between the two water bodies. A total of 18,148 fish were recorded, representing six species across four families. Three species that can complete their life cycle within estuaries, i.e. the atherinids Lepthatherina wallacei and Atherinosoma elongata and the gobiid Pseudogobius olorum, dominated the fish fauna, accounting for [99% of all fish collected. No significant inter-estuary differences were observed in the mean number of species, mean total density or fish community composition. Although the fish community was depauperate in terms of the number of species, total density was high, reflecting the presence of permanent and seasonal barriers to the immigration of marine species into these estuaries and the highly productive nature of this system, respectively. Two introduced freshwater species, i.e. the Eastern Gambusia Gambusia holbrooki and the Goldfish, Carassius auratus, were recorded in the Vasse Estuary. As C. auratus was found in mesohaline conditions, individuals may be able to use the estuary as a 'saltbridge' to gain access to other tributaries and/or the Wonnerup Estuary, and thus expand their distribution. These findings are of concern given the potential deleterious biological and ecological effects of these alien species.

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Section: Mean Number Of Species Density and Faunal Compositioncontrasting

confidence: 65%

Baseline survey of the fish fauna of a highly eutrophic estuary and evidence for its colonisation by Goldfish (Carassius auratus)

2017

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“…This helped flush nutrients out of the estuary and, as a consequence, the extent of macroalgal growths in this system declined (Water and Rivers Commission 1998). This was accompanied by a decline in the overall abundance of fishes and a change in their species composition (Young & Potter 2003a,b;Potter et al 2016).…”

Section: Seagrassesmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Contrasting Ecology of Temperate Macrotidal and Microtidal Estuaries

Tweedley¹,

Warwick²,

Potter³

2016

Oceanography and Marine Biology - An Annual Review

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Tidal range is a master factor governing the differences in physico-chemical and biological characteristics between microtidal (<2 m) and macrotidal (>2 m) estuaries, which, for convenience, thus include mesotidal estuaries (2-4 m). Microtidal estuaries differ from macrotidal estuaries in geomorphology, tidal water movements, salinity regimes, residence times, turbidity, sedimentology and intertidal area. Consequently, their phytoplankton, microphytobenthos and macrophytes communities differ in biomass and production, areal extent, distribution patterns and composition. Mesozooplankton comprise predominantly autochthonous species in microtidal estuaries and allochthonous species in macrotidal estuaries. Meiobenthos in microtidal estuaries have greater densities in subtidal than intertidal areas and species persist along the estuary. Macrobenthos is dominated by small depositfeeding species in microtidal estuaries, whereas macrotidal estuaries contain some larger species and suspension feeders. Species richness and abundance of estuarine-resident fish species and the contributions of diving piscivorous birds and wading invertebrate-feeding birds are greater in microtidal estuaries. As paradigms regarding estuarine ecology have been based mainly on northern hemisphere macrotidal systems, this review has redressed this imbalance by detailing the extent of differences between microtidal and macrotidal estuaries. In particular, it uses data and case studies for southern hemisphere microtidal systems to demonstrate that the physico-chemical characteristics and ecology of the main flora and fauna of microtidal estuaries are frequently not consistent with those paradigms.

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“…While the abundance and survival of some penaeids, such as P. esculentus, is related to the presence of aquatic macrophytes (Loneragan et al, 2013), this relationship has not been established for M. dalli. Moreover, the abundance of O. rueppellii and A. vaigiensis, which were responsible for 68 and 31 % of the total predation at the release site, fluctuated in the nearby Peel-Harvey Estuary commensurate with changes in the extent and biomass of macrophytes (Potter et al, 2016). Therefore, releasing hatchery-reared postlarval M. dalli over unvegetated substrates may facilitate greater survival, due to reduced abundances of its key teleost predators over bare substratum during the day.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Ichthyofaunal assemblages in estuaries are very dynamic and can vary spatially, and over a range of temporal scales, e.g. seasons/years/decades (Potter et al, 2016;Ribeiro et al, 2008), seasons (Loneragan and Potter, 1990;Veale et al, 2014) and diel phase (Gray et al, 1998;Young et al, 1997). The production and release of hatchery-reared individuals that do not have cultured broodstock available, i.e.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Estimating predation rates of restocked individuals: The influence of timing-of-release on metapenaeid survival

et al. 2018

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The success of aquaculture-based enhancement programs is greatly influenced by the survival of released individuals. Immediate post-release mortality through predation is one of the greatest obstacles to the success of releases, and the choice of a release site or time-of-release can be critical in maximising survival. This paper develops a novel quantitative method of estimating predation rate to inform release programs, and describes its use in determining whether hatchery-reared Western School Prawns Metapenaeus dalli should be released into the Swan-Canning Estuary in temperate south-western Australia during the night or day. and Atherinomorus vaigiensis (Atherinidae), were responsible for ~99 % of the predation, and that the total number of postlarval prawns consumed was 288 % higher at night than in the day. These findings suggest that releasing M. dalli during the day will greatly reduce predation and consequently allow a greater survival rate at this release site. The simple methodology developed here could be readily employed to inform release strategies for other species.

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Decadal changes in the ichthyofauna of a eutrophic estuary following a remedial engineering modification and subsequent environmental shifts

Cited by 40 publications

References 64 publications

Baseline survey of the fish fauna of a highly eutrophic estuary and evidence for its colonisation by Goldfish (Carassius auratus)

Baseline survey of the fish fauna of a highly eutrophic estuary and evidence for its colonisation by Goldfish (Carassius auratus)

The Contrasting Ecology of Temperate Macrotidal and Microtidal Estuaries

Estimating predation rates of restocked individuals: The influence of timing-of-release on metapenaeid survival

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