Flow-induced alterations to fish assemblages, habitat and fish–habitat associations in a regulated lowland river

Bice, Christopher M.; Gehrig, Susan; Zampatti, Brenton P.; Nicol, Jason; Wilson, Phillipa; Leigh, S. L.; Marsland, Kelly

doi:10.1007/s10750-013-1701-8

Cited by 22 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 53 publications

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“…Species were categorized into groups based on age class (i.e., juvenile, adult), morphology (i.e., large-bodied, small-bodied), introduction history (i.e., introduced, native), and recreational importance (i.e., sport fish, non-recreational species) to evaluate the effects of the flood on CPUE of different community segments: juvenile introduced, juvenile native, juvenile sport, adult introduced, adult native, adult sport, and small-bodied (Schreck 2010). Large-bodied fishes were those with typical adult lengths 100 mm TL, whereas small-bodied fishes were those with typical adult lengths < 100 mm TL (Bice et al 2014). All species that were not sport fishes (i.e., introduced, native, small-bodied) were considered non-recreational.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The flood increased relative abundance of large-bodied species but not small-bodied fishes. Although large-bodied species occupy the Delta primarily during the spawning season, a universal increase in relative abundance suggests movement into the Delta, where floodplain inundation likely facilitated reproduction (Gerking 1950;Trepanier et al 1996;Bice et al 2014). Consistent relative abundance of small-bodied species is predictable because the Delta contains interspersed fluvial and slackwater habitats favorable for spawning, foraging, and refuge from predators (Kaemingk et al 2007;Schreck 2010).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Consistent relative abundance of small-bodied species is predictable because the Delta contains interspersed fluvial and slackwater habitats favorable for spawning, foraging, and refuge from predators (Kaemingk et al 2007;Schreck 2010). In other floodplain rivers, floods may decrease small-bodied fish abundance by restructuring and reducing macrophyte cover (Bice et al 2014). Although we did not specifically evaluate the effects of the 2011 flood on macrophytes, stable relative abundance suggests that the Delta contained suitable habitats for small-bodied fishes during and after the disturbance.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In addition, flood impacts may vary according to fish age, morphology, physiology (e.g., turbidity tolerance, swimming strength), behavior (e.g., movement, habitat use), and community composition (e.g., species abundance, diversity) (Bischoff & Wolter 2001;Kano et al 2011). For instance, a flood in the Lower Murray River decreased the abundance of small-bodied species (e.g., flat-head gudgeon [Philypnodon macrostomus], unspeckled hardyhead [Craterocephalus stercusmuscarum fulvus]) by removing submerged macrophytes but increased the abundance of large-bodied fishes (e.g., common carp [Cyprinus carpio], golden perch [Macquaria ambigua ambigua]) by promoting recruitment (Bice et al 2014). Floods may also exert differential effects on introduced and native fishes.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We predicted that trends in juvenile relative abundance would vary among species, whereas adult relative abundance would increase for all species. We expected that small-bodied species (i.e., typical adult length < 100 mm TL) would become less abundant and large-bodied fishes (i.e., not smallbodied) more abundant after the flood (Bice et al 2014). Moreover, we hypothesized that relative abundance of both introduced and native species and sport and non-recreational fishes would increase after the flood (Stoffels et al 2014;Vilizzi et al 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Effects of historic flooding on fishes and aquatic habitats in a Missouri River delta

Carlson

Fincel²,

Longhenry³

et al. 2016

Journal of Freshwater Ecology

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Understanding the effects of disturbances on aquatic biota is important for management of the world's rivers. Riverine deltas are among the most biologically productive ecosystems, yet the ecological effects of floods in deltas are poorly understood. Therefore, the goal of this study was to examine impacts of an historic flood in the Missouri River basin in 2011 on fishes and aquatic habitats in the Lewis and Clark Delta, located in South Dakota and Nebraska, USA. Fish community structural indices declined in the six years preceding the flood, with species richness and diversity (Fisher's a) decreasing from 25 to 22 and 4.56 to 3.48, respectively. However, the fish community exhibited short-term resistance to the flood as both metrics were similar to pre-flood levels after the disturbance in 2012. Evenness (J 0 ) declined from 0.88 to 0.73 before the flood but increased to 0.84 after the disturbance. The majority of species exhibited greater relative abundance after the flood regardless of age class (i.e., juvenile, adult), morphology (i.e., small-bodied, large-bodied), introduction history (i.e., introduced, native), or recreational importance (i.e., sport fish, non-recreational). However, the flood reduced relative abundance of juvenile freshwater drum (Aplodinotus grunniens) and white crappie (Pomoxis annularis) and did not affect the three small-bodied species that were studied, including emerald shiner (Notropis atherinoides), red shiner (Cyprinella lutrensis), and spotfin shiner (Cyprinella spiloptera). The flood decreased side channel and backwater frequency and width/area but increased sandbar abundance. Physical alterations evidently had minimal effects on structural indices of the fish community. However, an overall increase in relative abundance across species suggests that interspersed fluvial and slackwater habitats in the delta provided refuge from floodwaters during the disturbance. Maintaining habitat connectivity in deltas during and after floods is particularly important for fisheries conservation. Illustrating the ecological effects and implications of a major flood, this study contributes to the nascent field of delta ecology.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Effects of historic flooding on fishes and aquatic habitats in a Missouri River delta

Carlson

Fincel²,

Longhenry³

et al. 2016

Journal of Freshwater Ecology

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Regulated recruitment: native and alien fish responses to widespread floodplain inundation in the Macquarie Marshes, arid Australia

2014

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Rivers and wetland ecosystems are degraded by diversions of water upstream. In response, governments have reallocated water to flood wetlands, mimicking natural inundation of habitats known to drive booms in native freshwater fish production. Individual flow events allow the ecological outcomes of restoration efforts to be evaluated, in order to improve ongoing adaptive management. This study investigated the population size and recruitment responses of seven native and three alien fish species to widespread floodplain inundation at 15 sites across the Macquarie Marshes, a regulated wetland in Australia's Murray-Darling Basin. Flooding during the late winter, when water temperatures were 4 to 12.6°C below the spawning threshold for native fish species present in the system, promoted reproduction and recruitment by alien species, which were significantly more abundant than native species after flooding. Fish assemblage structure also differed significantly between main channel and floodplain habitats, with macrophytes, pH, emergent vegetation, flow velocity and small wood debris accounting for 59% of spatiotemporal variation in fish assemblage structure. Strong correlations were identified between the length of spawning window and post-flood abundance of young-of-year and recruit size classes in the most abundant alien and native fish species. Future environmental flows, particularly those that inundate floodplain habitats, need to be delivered in light of the confounding effects of flow-temperature coupling and the lower spawning temperature thresholds of alien species.

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Managing native fish communities during a long‐term drought

et al. 2017

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Ecological communities are adapted to extreme hydrological conditions. River regulation can, at times, exacerbate stressors such as drought and flood that threaten population persistence.Conversely, river infrastructure offers a means to deliver water for environmental benefit. Thus knowledge of the life history requirements of native fish, including location-specific community structure during drought conditions, is required to inform the management of aquatic ecosystems for native fish in regulated systems. During a severe drought, fish community sampling at 30 sites was undertaken in the Edward-Wakool (E-W) river system, an anabranch system of the Murray River, southeast Australia, to provide recommendations into the current management under drought and for future planning. Fish from the E-W system demonstrated diverse responses to drought conditions. Some species recruited under drought conditions, whilst others were restricted in distribution to a few key refuge habitats. The ability for fish species to persist in the long term depends largely on developing appropriate management strategies that both protect critical habitat and sustain biological function. Both situations require a combination of advance planning and reactionary monitoring, which is adaptively used to minimise impacts. Here, we present a number of practical solutions, based on experience from the E-W system, that are applicable to other regulated river systems. It is essential that agencies responsible for drought management ensure appropriate plans are developed ready for implementation in advance of future drought events.

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Flow-induced alterations to fish assemblages, habitat and fish–habitat associations in a regulated lowland river

Cited by 22 publications

References 53 publications

Effects of historic flooding on fishes and aquatic habitats in a Missouri River delta

Effects of historic flooding on fishes and aquatic habitats in a Missouri River delta

Regulated recruitment: native and alien fish responses to widespread floodplain inundation in the Macquarie Marshes, arid Australia

Managing native fish communities during a long‐term drought

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