Identification of human-made physical barriers to fish passage in the Wet Tropics region, Australia

2016 ◽  
Vol 67 (5) ◽  
pp. 677 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frederieke J. Kroon ◽  
Seonaid Phillips
Keyword(s):  
Fish Passage ◽  
Native Fish ◽  
Fish Movement ◽  
Gis Analysis ◽  
Transport Networks ◽  
Stream Network ◽  
Potential Barriers ◽  
Far North ◽  
Physical Barriers ◽  
Wet Tropics

Human-made physical barriers to fish passage were identified in the Wet Tropics region, Far North Queensland, Australia, through a desktop GIS analysis of the stream and transport networks. A total of 3748 of such potential barriers, comprising bridges, culverts and causeways, were identified in a stream network of 18363km at a scale of 1:100000. These records provide a first step for a complete barrier inventory and assessment for this region, which can be used to prioritise potential barriers for removal and remediation to improve native fish movement and fisheries production.

scholarly journals Culverts in paved roads as suitable passages for Neotropical fish species

2012 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 763-770 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sergio Makrakis ◽  
Theodore Castro-Santos ◽  
Maristela Cavicchioli Makrakis ◽  
Ricardo Luiz Wagner ◽  
Maurício Spagnolo Adames
Keyword(s):  
Fish Passage ◽  
Fish Movement ◽  
Upstream Migration ◽  
Migratory Species ◽  
Neotropical Fish ◽  
Potential Barriers ◽  
Medium Risk ◽  
Fall Height ◽  
Additional Monitoring ◽  
Spawning Success

Improperly installed or poorly maintained culverts can pose a serious threat to fish by disrupting their habitat and endangering spawning success. Road culverts that are not designed for fish passage frequently can become obstacles. This can be especially problematic for migratory species, but can lead to fragmentation of resident populations as well. This study evaluated 40 culverts of 29 sites within a 25-km radius from Toledo city, Paraná State, southern Brazil, with respect to their likely effects on movement of the local ichthyofauna. We collected data on the shape and length of culverts, culvert material, waterfall height, water column depth, slope, and estimated flow velocity. Culverts were categorized by level of barrier risk for upstream migration: high, medium, low, and impassable, as well as the type of barrier posed (fall height, depth, length and velocity). Most of culverts analyzed were considered potential barriers to fish movement, with 45% classified as impassible, 45% as high risk, 10% as medium risk, and no culverts as low risk. Brazilian culverts as fishways will require additional monitoring and studies to corroborate the premises proposed in the present study. Road culvert projects that are properly built and maintained will be able to simultaneously improve function of roadways and protect fish populations.

Too close for comfort: a fishway exit and a hydro-power station inlet

2010 ◽  
Vol 61 (1) ◽  
pp. 23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ivor G. Stuart ◽  
John D. Koehn ◽  
Tim A. O'Brien ◽  
John A. McKenzie ◽  
Gerry P. Quinn
Keyword(s):  
Management Strategies ◽  
Field Testing ◽  
High Water ◽  
Fish Passage ◽  
Native Fish ◽  
Power Station ◽  
Hydro Power ◽  
Murray River ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Radio Transmitters

A major environmental issue for hydro-electric power generation is passage of fish through turbines, or entrainment onto trash racks. At Yarrawonga Weir, on the upper Murray River in south-eastern Australia, the positioning of a fish lock resulted in the potential for upstream migrating fish to be swept back into the adjacent power station by cross flows. In 2004, a 4.5-m long steel extension flume was attached to the exit to alleviate this problem. To determine the fate of native fish after exiting the extension flume, 72 individuals (305–1015 mm long) were implanted with radio-transmitters and released into the fish lock exit channel. In 2004 (power station inflows 10 300 ML day–1), the majority of fish exited successfully (44 of 45) and only a single fish (2%) was entrained into the power station. In 2005 (power station inflows 12 000 ML day–1), fish again exited successfully (26 of 27) but with a higher proportion entrained (5 of 27; 18%). This reduced success appeared to be related to strong transverse flows with high water velocities adjacent to the fish lock exit. The efficiency of fish passage at this site might be improved by altering water management strategies, integrating engineering and fish biology, and through field-testing of proposed solutions.

scholarly journals Utilising the boundary layer to help restore the connectivity of fish habitats and populations

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jabin R. Watson ◽  
Harriet R. Goodrich ◽  
Rebecca L. Cramp ◽  
Matthew A. Gordos ◽  
Craig E. Franklin
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Fragmentation ◽  
Fish Species ◽  
Juvenile Fish ◽  
Fish Passage ◽  
Freshwater Ecosystems ◽  
Water Velocity ◽  
Fish Movement ◽  
Important Species ◽  
Significant Contributor ◽  
Remediation Design

SignificanceHabitat fragmentation is a significant contributor to the worldwide decline of freshwater ecosystem health, the most pervasive cause of which is culverts. Culverts act as a barrier to fish movement, impacting feeding, predator avoidance, spawning, and community structures. Here we show that a common remediation strategy that involves baffles, is detrimental to the successful passage of small bodied and juvenile fish at high velocities. To remedy this widespread problem, we present a novel remediation design that benefits a range of small-bodied species and juvenile fish at the same high velocities, regardless of morphology or ecological niche. The application of this remediation design may be expanded to any smooth surfaced anthropogenic structure, to improve fish passage and restore ecosystem functionality.AbstractCulverts are a major cause of habitat fragmentation in freshwater ecosystems, are a barrier to fish movement, and are regarded as a significant contributor in the decline of freshwater fish populations globally. To try to address this, various culvert remediation designs have been implemented, including the installation of vertical baffles and the provision of naturalistic (rock) substrates. While remediation strategies generally aim to reduce the velocity of water flowing through the structure, there is often resistance to their use because the resultant reduction in culvert discharge can negatively impact upstream flooding while also resulting in debris clogging and increased culvert maintenance costs. In addition, baffles markedly increase water turbulence that may be detrimental to passage by some fish species or size classes. Here we present some novel remediation designs that exploit the reduced water velocity in boundary layers along the culvert wall to enhance fish passage without significantly compromising discharge capacity. These longitudinal designs produce an expanded reduced velocity zone along the culvert margins that generate minimal turbulence. We show that these novel designs are significantly advantageous to the swimming endurance and traversability for six small-bodied Australian fish species. We also provide data on how and why some culvert baffle designs may impede small-bodied fish passage. This data scales with increasing water velocity, encompassing inter-specific differences in swimming capacity. These results have broad implications for fish community structure and the requirement of juvenile cohort of large-bodied commercially important species where baffles have been implemented to facilitate fish passage.

scholarly journals Analysing Habitat Connectivity and Home Ranges of Bigmouth Buffalo and Channel Catfish Using a Large-Scale Acoustic Receiver Network

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 3051 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eva C. Enders ◽  
Colin Charles ◽  
Douglas A. Watkinson ◽  
Colin Kovachik ◽  
Douglas R. Leroux ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ictalurus Punctatus ◽  
Channel Catfish ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
River System ◽  
The United States ◽  
Fish Passage ◽  
Biological Knowledge ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
Fish Movement ◽  
Lake Winnipeg

The determination if fish movement of potadromous species is impeded in a river system is often difficult, particularly when timing and extent of movements are unknown. Furthermore, evaluating river connectivity poses additional challenges. Here, we used large-scale, long-term fish movement to study and identify anthropogenic barriers to movements in the Lake Winnipeg basin including the Red, Winnipeg, and Assiniboine rivers. In the frame of the project, 80 Bigmouth Buffalo (Ictiobus cyprinellus) and 161 Channel Catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) were tagged with acoustic transmitters. Individual fish were detected with an acoustic telemetry network. Movements were subsequently analyzed using a continuous-time Markov model (CTMM). The study demonstrated large home ranges in the Lake Winnipeg basin and evidence of frequent transborder movements between Canada and the United States. The study also highlighted successful downstream fish passage at some barriers, whereas some barriers limited or completely blocked upstream movement. This biological knowledge on fish movements in the Lake Winnipeg basin highlights the need for fish passage solutions at different obstructions.

Low light inhibits native fish movement through a vertical-slot fishway: Implications for engineering design

2017 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 177-185 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. J. Jones ◽  
L. J. Baumgartner ◽  
B. P. Zampatti ◽  
K. Beyer
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Design ◽  
Native Fish ◽  
Fish Movement ◽  
Low Light ◽  
Vertical Slot ◽  
Vertical Slot Fishway

Nitrate accumulation under cropping in the Ferrosols of Far North Queensland wet tropics

Soil Research ◽  
2001 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 329 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Rasiah ◽  
J. D. Armour
Keyword(s):  
Management Practices ◽  
Root Zone ◽  
Nitrate Accumulation ◽  
Retention Capacity ◽  
Soil Matrix ◽  
Far North ◽  
Nitrate N ◽  
Wet Tropics ◽  
Crop Root

Recent research on the fate of applied fertiliser N in the Ferrosols of the wet tropics of Far North Queensland (FNQ) has shown that the nitrate leaching below the crop root-zone is a major pathway of N loss from paddocks. Information on the fate of this nitrate is essential to develop best N fertiliser management practices and for the long-term sustainability of land and water resources. Because of the ability of Ferrosols to adsorb anions in the soil matrix, it was speculated that the leached nitrate may be accumulating at depth in the Ferrosol profiles. The objectives of this study were to (i) verify whether the leached nitrate has been accumulating in the Ferrosols under the major cropping systems in the Johnstone River Catchment (JRC) of FNQ, and (ii) provide preliminary estimates for nitrate retention capacity of the Ferrosols. Soil cores to a depth of 10 m were taken from under sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum-S), banana (Musa (AAA group, Cavendish subgroup) cv. Williams), dairy pasture, and rainforest in JRC during August 1995. The cores were segmented at 0.5-m depth increments and soil samples were analysed for nitrate- and ammonium-N, cation- (CEC) and anion- (AEC) exchange capacities, pH, Ca2+ , Mg 2+ , K + , Na + , and Cl – . Nitrate-N concentration under sugarcane was as high as 33 mg/kg, compared with 6.9 mg/kg for banana, 0.3 mg/kg under rainforest, and that under pasture was below detection limit. Nitrate-N load in the top 10 m of the profiles under sugarcane ranged from 345 to 1875 kg nitrate-N/ha compared with 145 kg/ ha for banana, and 21 kg/ha under rainforest. Most of the nitrate accumulation was found between 2 and 8 m, i.e. well below the crop root-zone. From 7% to 70% of the nitrate that leached below crop root-zone was retained at depths >1 m. In general, Cl – and total cation (TC = sum of Ca2+ , Mg 2+ , K + , and Na + ) concentrations in the profiles under cropping were higher than those under rainforest, and the pH under sugarcane was more acidic. Simple correlation analysis indicated associations existed between the accumulated nitrate and Cl – , pH, AEC, or TC. The estimated nitrate holding capacity of the Ferrosols ranged from 17 to 32 t N/ha. The results show that large quantities of the nitrate that leached below crop root-zone have accumulated at depth under long-term sugarcane and banana cropping in the Ferrosols of FNQ.

A second species of Oristicta Tillyard (Odonata: Isostictidae)

Zootaxa ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 4323 (1) ◽  
pp. 83
Author(s):  
GÜNTHER THEISCHINGER ◽  
CHRIS J. BURWELL
Keyword(s):  
Junior Synonym ◽  
Museum Specimens ◽  
Eastern Cape ◽  
Additional Species ◽  
Far North ◽  
South Eastern ◽  
North Eastern ◽  
Wet Tropics ◽  
Cape York

In order to include an additional species in the genus Oristicta Tillyard, 1913, the lectotype of its sole species Oristicta filicicola Tillyard, 1913 and the holotype of Phasmosticta interposita Lieftinck, 1951, its assumed junior synonym, the original descriptions of both and numerous museum specimens identified as O. filicicola are studied and discussed. In spite of some variability being noted, it is concluded that they all are O. filicicola which is considered a monotypic species. The additional species is described as Oristicta rosendaleorum sp. nov. It is comprehensively illustrated, and its affinities are discussed. Possibly sympatric in places with O. filicicola, Oristicta rosendaleorum sp. nov. has richer black markings, lacks posterolateral processes/horns on the male’s pronotum (present in O. filicicola), and the male anal appendages are of different form. Oristicta filicicola is known from far north-eastern Queensland from Hammond Island (10.5°S) at the tip of Cape York to the Paluma Range (19°S) in the southern Wet Tropics Bioregion. Oristicta rosendaleorum sp. nov. is currently known from only two localities within 20 km of Lakeland (15.9°S) in south-eastern Cape York Peninsula. 

Revision of Australian species of the dung beetle genus Lepanus (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae): description of 10 new species from the L. australis, L. monteithi, and L. villosus species groups

Zootaxa ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 4695 (3) ◽  
pp. 201-252
Author(s):  
NICOLE L. GUNTER ◽  
THOMAS A. WEIR
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Dung Beetle ◽  
Species Group ◽  
Northern Territory ◽  
Far North ◽  
Australian Species ◽  
Wet Tropics ◽  
Species Groups ◽  
Cape York ◽  
Torres Strait

This publication is part in an ongoing revision of the Australian species of the genus Lepanus Balthasar, 1966 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) and revises the three species groups with simple pygidia. Keys to species within the L. australis Matthews, 1974, L. monteithi Matthews, 1974, and L. villosus Matthews, 1974 species groups are provided and a total of 10 new species are described. Within the L. australis species group, L. australis Matthews, 1974 and L. latheticus Matthews, 1974 are redescribed and four new species are described: Lepanus burnetti new species and Lepanus oxleyi new species from southeastern Queensland; Lepanus eungella new species from coastal, central Queensland; and Lepanus dukungarri new species from Australian Wet Tropics, northern Queensland. Within the L. monteithi species group, L. monteithi Matthews, 1974 is redescribed and four new species are described: Lepanus geoffi new species from Cape York Peninsula, far north Queensland; Lepanus yorkensis new species from Torres Strait and Cape York Peninsula, far north Queensland; Lepanus reidi new species from the Australian Wet Tropics and Lepanus topend new species from the northern Northern Territory. Within the L. villosus species group, L. villosus Matthews, 1974 and L. vestitus Matthews, 1974 are redescribed and two new species are described: Lepanus pseudovillosus new species and Lepanus reticulatus new species from the Australian Wet Tropics, northern Queensland. Including these descriptions a total of 43 Lepanus species are now described from Australia. 

Prioritising the rehabilitation of fish passage in a regulated river system based on fish movement

2015 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 67-72 ◽  
Author(s):  
Justin O'Connor ◽  
Frank Amtstaetter ◽  
Matthew Jones ◽  
John Mahoney
Keyword(s):  
River System ◽  
Fish Passage ◽  
Regulated River ◽  
Fish Movement
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