@article{09b622817c4f448f9132b394ac192931,
title = "Brief floodplain inundation provides growth and survival benefits to a young-of-year fish in an intermittent river threatened by water development",
abstract = "Riverine floodplains are highly productive habitats that often act as nurseries for fish but are threatened by flow regulation. The Fitzroy River in northern Australia is facing development, but uncertainty exists regarding the extent to which floodplain habitats deliver benefits to fish, particularly given the brevity of seasonal floodplain inundation. We investigated the growth rate of young-of-year bony bream (Nematalosa erebi) in main channel and ephemeral floodplain habitats using age derived from otolith daily increments. We also investigated potential mechanisms influencing growth and modelled the consequences of differential growth rate on survival. Our results revealed higher growth occurred exclusively on the floodplain and that zooplankton biomass was the best predictor of growth rate. Modelling indicated that elevated growth rate in high-growth floodplain pools (top 25th percentile) could translate into substantial increases in survivorship. The positive effect of zooplankton biomass on growth was moderated under highly turbid conditions. Temperature had a minor influence on growth, and only in floodplain habitats. Our results indicate ephemeral floodplain habitats can deliver substantial growth and survival benefits to young-of-year fish even when floodplain inundation is brief. This study highlights the need to ensure that water policy safeguards floodplain habitats due to their important ecological role.",
author = "Pratt, {Oliver P.} and Beesley, {Leah S.} and Pusey, {Bradley J.} and Gwinn, {Daniel C.} and Keogh, {Chris S.} and Douglas, {Michael M.}",
note = "Funding Information: We gratefully acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the country on which this work was undertaken; the Nyikina-Mangala people, Yanunijarra and Gooniyandi people, and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. We pay our respects to their Elders, past, present and emerging. We thank the Prescribed Body Corporates of the different native title groups, and representatives from Yungngora Community, for providing us with permission to undertake research on country. Thanks to the Indigenous Rangers and ranger co-ordinators who assisted with field work and we acknowledge the assistance of the Kimberley Land Council in project facilitation, particularly Karen Dayman. We thank the pastoral managers of Jubilee Downs, Myroodah, Mount Anderson, Millijidee, Noonkanbah and Gogo Stations for their cooperation. Thank you to Brett Taylor for his insight and advice concerning otoliths and otolith processing. This project was supported by the Australian Government{\textquoteright}s National Environmental Science Program through the Northern Australia Environmental Resources Hub. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2023, Springer Nature Limited.",
year = "2023",
month = dec,
doi = "10.1038/s41598-023-45000-x",
language = "English",
volume = "13",
journal = "Scientific Reports",
issn = "2045-2322",
publisher = "Nature Publishing Group - Macmillan Publishers",
number = "1",
}