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Flow magnitude and variability influence growth of two freshwater fish species in a large regulated floodplain river

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Abstract

Fish are often targets for environmental watering outcomes under the premise that aspects of the flow regime are linked to key components of their life-history. This study examined the conceptual link between variability in river discharge and fish productivity by measuring annual growth patterns (generated using sclerochronology over a 22-year period) of two native freshwater cod Maccullochella spp. species over a range of flow conditions in a regulated Australian floodplain River. We found a positive relationship between fish growth, flow variability and river discharge. Flow variability during spring and summer-autumn, as well as their antecedent values, was particularly important in explaining annual growth of the nationally endangered Maccullochella macquariensis. Growth of Maccullochella peelii displayed similar patterns, though were more closely aligned with spring discharge. These results are consistent with the general view that increased river regulation, due to its suppression of flow magnitude and variability, has been a major contributing factor in the decline of native fish populations throughout the world. Our results provide support and guidance for the use of environmental water delivery, and have broad application to rivers worldwide for which any quantification of ecological impacts of regulation, and responses to water management remain scarce.

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Acknowledgements

We acknowledge the Murray–Darling Basin Authority for funding and their continued support in this research. We would also thank the large number of ARI staff for field assistance and John Koehn (ARI) and John Morrongiello (University of Melbourne) and two anonymous reviewers for constructive comments on early drafts. This work was conducted under NSW Fisheries Scientific Research Permit F93/158(C)-8.0 and OUT13/4461, Victorian Fisheries Research Permit RP827, FFG Research Permit 10005913 and DEPI Animal Ethics 07/23 and 11/02.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research, 123 Brown St, Heidelberg, VIC, 3084, Australia

    Zeb Tonkin, Adrian Kitchingman, Jarod Lyon, Joanne Kearns, Graeme Hackett, Justin O’Mahony & Paul D. Moloney

  2. Fish Aging Services Pty Ltd, Queenscliff, VIC, 3223, Australia

    Kyne Krusic-Golub

  3. Department of Geography, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK

    Tomas Bird

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  1. Zeb Tonkin
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  2. Adrian Kitchingman
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Correspondence to Zeb Tonkin.

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Tonkin, Z., Kitchingman, A., Lyon, J. et al. Flow magnitude and variability influence growth of two freshwater fish species in a large regulated floodplain river. Hydrobiologia 797, 289–301 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-017-3192-5

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