Freshwater fish conservation in the face of critical water shortages in the southern Murray–Darling Basin, Australia

2013 ◽  
Vol 64 (9) ◽  
pp. 807 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael P. Hammer ◽  
Christopher M. Bice ◽  
Arkellah Hall ◽  
Adrienne Frears ◽  
Adam Watt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alien Species ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Captive Breeding ◽  
Habitat Degradation ◽  
Action Plan ◽  
Environmental Water ◽  
River Regulation ◽  
Freshwater Biodiversity ◽  
Water Abstraction ◽  
Murray Darling Basin

The lower reaches of the expansive Murray–Darling Basin, Australia, are a hotspot for freshwater biodiversity. The regional ecosystem, however, has been significantly altered by river regulation, including local and catchment-wide water abstraction. Freshwater fishes have suffered from the resultant altered flow regime, together with other threats including habitat degradation and alien species. Impacts reached a critical point (imminent species extinction) during a prolonged drought (1997–2010) that lead to broad-scale habitat loss and drying of refuges during 2007–2010, and urgent conservation measures were subsequently instigated for five threatened small-bodied fish species. A critical response phase included ad hoc interventions that were later incorporated within a broader, coordinated multi-agency program (i.e. the Drought Action Plan and Critical Fish Habitat projects). On-ground actions included local translocation, alien species control, in situ habitat maintenance (e.g. earthworks, environmental water delivery), fish rescues, artificial refuge establishment and captive breeding. Improved river flows signalled an initial phase of recovery in 2011–2012 that included reintroductions. The present paper aims to document the actions undertaken in the Lower Murray, and review successes and lessons from practical examples that will help guide and inform management responses to conserve fish in modified systems subjected to severe water decline.

Conservation of an inauspicious endangered freshwater fish, Murray hardyhead (Craterocephalus fluviatilis), during drought and competing water demands in the Murray–Darling Basin, Australia

2013 ◽  
Vol 64 (9) ◽  
pp. 792 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iain M. Ellis ◽  
Daniel Stoessel ◽  
Michael P. Hammer ◽  
Scotte D. Wedderburn ◽  
Lara Suitor ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Freshwater Fish ◽  
Environmental Water ◽  
River Regulation ◽  
Isolated Populations ◽  
Conservation Units ◽  
European Settlement ◽  
Water Demands ◽  
Murray Darling Basin ◽  
Conservation Concern ◽  
Australian Freshwater

Approximately 40% of Australian freshwater fish species are of conservation concern, largely because of the impacts of river regulation, habitat fragmentation and alien fishes. Murray hardyhead is a threatened fish endemic to the southern Murray–Darling Basin in Australia, which has declined significantly in range and abundance since European settlement. Conservation of the species has relied largely on environmental watering of off-channel wetlands where isolated populations persist. This became problematic during recent drought (1997–2010) because of competing demands for limited water, and resentment towards environmental watering programs from communities that themselves were subject to reduced water entitlements. In response, emergency conservation measures prioritised the delivery of environmental water to minimise applied volumes. Captive maintenance programs were established for fish rescued from four genetically distinct conservation units, with varying levels of breeding success. Several translocations of wild and captive-bred fish to surrogate refuge sites were also conducted. Future recovery of the species should secure existing natural and stocked populations and translocate fish to additional appropriate sites to spread risk and reinstate natural pathways for dispersal. The approach to the conservation of Murray hardyhead during extreme environmental conditions provides insights to inform the management of fishes in other drought-prone regions of the world.

scholarly journals The effects of road crossings on stream macro-invertebrate diversity

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 729-745 ◽  
Author(s):  
Blanka Gál ◽  
András Weiperth ◽  
János Farkas ◽  
Dénes Schmera
Keyword(s):  
Alien Species ◽  
Environmental Variables ◽  
Human Population ◽  
Knowledge Gap ◽  
Storm Events ◽  
Freshwater Biodiversity ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Invertebrate Diversity ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
The Subject

AbstractAlthough it is well known that the increasing size of the human population has a negative effect on freshwater biodiversity, the subject of whether or how the intersection of roads and streams (hereafter road crossings) influence the diversity of stream macro-invertebrates is under-researched. To fill this gap in our knowledge, we collected stream macro-invertebrates from road crossings (bridges and culverts) and compared their diversity with upstream and downstream sections. We found that road crossings had negative effects on the richness and abundance of native macro-invertebrates, as well as on the number of protected taxa. Our results showed also that alien individuals were more abundant at road crossings. These findings support the assumption that road crossings contribute to the spread of alien species. The assessment of environmental variables indicated that road crossings caused habitat modifications, and based on these it can be assumed that habitat modifications and associated phenomena (e.g. pollutants and storm events) were the major drivers of the observed patterns in biodiversity. Our results fill a knowledge gap and contribute to the deeper understanding of the effect of road crossings on freshwater biodiversity.

scholarly journals Population Status and Distribution of Gharial (Gavialis gangeticus) in Nepal

1970 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bishnu P Thapaliya ◽  
Madhav Khadka ◽  
Hemanta Kafley
Keyword(s):  
National Parks ◽  
Captive Breeding ◽  
Indian Subcontinent ◽  
Action Plan ◽  
Natural Habitat ◽  
Monitoring Program ◽  
Habitat Destruction ◽  
Population Status ◽  
Conservation Action ◽  
Gavialis Gangeticus

Gharial (Gavialis gangeticus), biological treasure of the Indian subcontinent now restricts its existence in few big river systems of India and Nepal only. Innumerable threats posed to Gharial and its natural habitat led to extinction of the species from Bhutan, Burma and Pakistan and almost extinct from Bangladesh. Despite of the concerted Gharial conservation effort of Nepal and India since midtwentieth century, the species finds its status as Critically Endangered on the IUCN 2007 Red list. Realizing the fact that a basic step in any conservation plan involving mega herpetofauna is to estimate its population status and structure and its geographic distribution, Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC) and World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Nepal held Gharial census on January-February 2008. The census estimated a total of 81 Gharials in Nepal. Out of total Gharial recorded during the census, 70 Gharials were recorded through direct sighting while 11 were based on indirect observations. Factors responsible for decreasing Gharial population were flood and dam construction, habitat destruction and decline in food quality & quantity. Over fishing, use of gill nets and river poisoning adversely affected the quality and quantity of fishes that serve as main food for Gharial. Contradictory to the past findings decreasing Gharial population was not attributed to the illegal egg collection and poaching of male Gharial for "Ghara". Deliberate killing was only found to take place in case the animal got entrapped in fishing nets. We conclude that Gharial should receive high conservation priority in future too. Efforts to restore the population through artificial breeding have much to do for maintaining present population. However, declining population, despite of several Gharial releases, should be addressed through more detailed scientific study. Census should be based on direct sighting through extensive field observation. Gharial release should precede scientific field study for assessing habitat suitability and follow with intensive monitoring program. The emphasis should be given for preparing specific Gharial Conservation Action Plan for regulating conservation activities to help conserve Gharial in Nepal. Key Words: Gharial conservation, Population status, Captive breeding, Threats DOI: 10.3126/init.v3i0.2422 The Initiation Vol.3 2009 p.1-11

Water policy responses to drought in the MDB, Australia

Water Policy ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 18 (S2) ◽  
pp. 28-51 ◽  
Author(s):  
James Horne
Keyword(s):  
Water Policy ◽  
Resource Planning ◽  
Environmental Water ◽  
Short Term ◽  
National Budget ◽  
Policy Responses ◽  
Murray Darling Basin ◽  
Millennium Drought ◽  
Basin Water ◽  
Market Infrastructure

This paper reviews water policy responses to drought in Australia, focusing on the Murray-Darling Basin (MDB) during the two decades from 1997. This period, which includes the decade long Millennium drought, brought a much sharper focus to discussions of scarcity and value of water. The drought initially focused attention on rising salinity and environmental water availability, as action on both was supported by strong science, and resonated politically. The drought became a crisis in 2006. Short-term planning focused on ensuring communities did not run out of water. For the longer term, the national government responded by announcing a major package of reform measures addressing sustainability and underlying scarcity, and recognising climate change. The package strengthened MDB water market infrastructure, upgraded water resource planning and the ability of irrigators to manage their water assets more flexibly, established new sustainable diversion limits and provided funding to ensure the environment received a larger share of basin water resources. But its completeness as a package can be attributed not only to the severity of drought, but also to political leadership, a disrupting strategy in the form of national legislation and a strong national budget that provided financial resources. The drought provided a crisis, but other ingredients were necessary to ensure effective action.

Nutrient Enrichment, Sedimentation, Heavy Metals and Plastic Pollution in the Marine Environment and its Implications on Philippine Marine Biodiversity: A Review

2015 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Neil Angelo S. Abreo ◽  
Edison D. Macusi ◽  
Ginalyn C. Cuenca ◽  
Cyril Tom B. Ranara ◽  
Michael B. Andam ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heavy Metals ◽  
Food Web ◽  
Alien Species ◽  
Marine Environment ◽  
Nutrient Enrichment ◽  
Indirect Effects ◽  
Habitat Degradation ◽  
Population Increase ◽  
Marine Biodiversity ◽  
Plastic Pollution

Marine biodiversity plays a vital role in ecosystem resilience and stability against climate change and alien species invasions, among others. This also plays a role in the provision of ecosystem services and functions that benefits humans. However due to anthropogenic activities and population increase, marine biodiversity have been affected most. We conducted a review using open-sourced journals on the effects of nutrient enrichment, sedimentation, heavy metals and plastic pollution in the marine environment and its implications on marine biodiversity. Lethal and sub-lethal effects were observed in different organisms that could affect marine biodiversity directly or indirectly. Direct effects include mortality of organisms while indirect effects include habitat degradation or alteration, a simplified food web, increase alien species invasion and reduced fitness of organisms. Human land use change, coastal construction activities, untreated sewage discharges, pesticides, mine tailings, uncollected, unsegregated and improperly dumped garbages and unabated garbage dumping at sea have been found to negatively influence marine biodiversity. In the Philippines, very few studies have been conducted with regards to marine pollution, especially on marine plastic debris, and even fewer studies have been made that tackles the effect of these stressors at an ecosystem level. Furthermore, this review has identified direct and indirect effects of pollution stressors on marine organisms which include: mortality and reduced fitness, vulnerability to disease or sickness,-habitat degradation, and food web simplification.     Keywords - Ecology, nutrient enrichment, sedimentation, plastic, biodiversity, literature review, pollution, Philippines

An Impossible Prescription: Why Science Cannot Determine Environmental Water Requirements for a Healthy Murray-Darling Basin

2017 ◽  
Vol 03 (03) ◽  
pp. 1650037 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samantha J. Capon ◽  
Timothy R. Capon
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Water Policy ◽  
Environmental Water ◽  
Management Scenarios ◽  
Water Requirements ◽  
Political Dimension ◽  
Murray Darling Basin ◽  
Alternative Water ◽  
Ecological Objectives ◽  
Ecological Science

The concept of environmental water requirements (EWRs) is central to Australia’s present approach to water reform. Current decision-making regarding environmental water relies strongly on the notion that EWRs necessary to meet targets associated with ecological objectives for asset sites can be scientifically defined, thus enabling the ecological outcomes of alternative water management scenarios to be evaluated in a relatively straightforward fashion in relation to these flow thresholds or targets. We argue, however, that the ecological objectives and targets currently underpinning the development of EWRs in the Murray-Darling Basin are insufficient to permit the identification of exact water requirements or flow thresholds. Because of the dynamic and heterogeneous nature of the Murray-Darling Basin and the myriad ways in which it is valued by people, we also assert that it is unlikely that adequate ecological objectives and targets from which to determine EWRs could ever be formulated. We suggest that the current emphasis on the concept of EWRs in environmental water planning conflates science and values, perpetuating a “how much is enough?” myth whereby the significance of the social, cultural and political dimension in environmental decision-making is diminished. We support an alternative paradigm in which the contribution of ecological science to water policy and management decisions focuses on understanding ecological responses of water-dependent ecosystems and their biota to alternative management scenarios and linking these responses to the ecosystem services and human values which they support.

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