Fitzroy River YOY fish data

Floodplain habitats support ecological processes in riverine ecosystems, including fish recruitment. In rivers with brief and variable river-floodplain connectivity, the association of young-of-year fish with floodplain pools is poorly understood. We examined whether young-of-year fish associate with floodplain pools in the Fitzroy River, Western Australia, and whether mesohabitat associations (floodplain verses main channel) aligned with expectations from life-history theory. Fish assemblages were sampled at 60 pools over four years. Individuals were classified as young-of-year or older using species-specific size thresholds.