Search

Stream hydrology and water quality are highly interconnected and impacted by climate, land use and geology. We examined this connection using monitoring data from 2000 to 2019 for two streams with contrasting hydrological regimes – intermittent and regulated perennial – in subtropical Queensland, Australia. Our main objective was to quantify the impact of groundwater level changes and flow regulation on spatio‑temporal patterns in hydrology and water quality in the two streams. In intermittently flowing Lockyer Creek, flow was highly dependent on groundwater levels and occurred when the aquifer was recharged to elevations exceeding the upper 90‑percentile value. With 9.4% of the catchment area in irrigated horticulture, flow in Lockyer Creek was also likely to be reduced by drawdown of the aquifer for irrigation, with no flow for 30% to 81% of days over the observation period for stations in Lockyer Creek. In contrast, flow in the mid‑Brisbane River was continuous, regulated by discharge from a large upstream dam. Nutrient and suspended sediment concentrations in Lockyer Creek were generally higher than in the mid‑Brisbane River, likely associated with runoff from agricultural areas adjacent to the stream, while the upstream dam likely reduced the concentration and variability of nutrients and suspended sediment in the mid‑Brisbane River. During periods of baseflow in the mid‑Brisbane River, longitudinal changes in nutrient and suspended sediment concentrations occurred, notably a significant decrease in total and dissolved inorganic nitrogen downstream (p < 0.05), indicating a possible effect of in-stream algal uptake and denitrification. This study highlights the impact of human modifications on stream hydrology and water quality in the face of climate change. The findings can inform decision-making on groundwater irrigation or dam release control for water security.

The Australian lungfish is a primitive and endangered representative of the subclass Dipnoi. The distribution of this species is limited to south-east Queensland, with some populations considered endemic and others possibly descending from translocations in the late nineteenth century shortly after European discovery. Attempts to resolve the historical distribution for this species have met with conflicting results based on descriptive genetic studies. Understanding if all populations are endemic or some are the result of, or influenced by, translocation events, has implications for conservation management. In this work, we analysed the genetic variation at three types of markers (mtDNA genomes, 11 STRs, and 5,196 nuclear SNPs) using the Approximate Bayesian Computation algorithm to compare several demographic models. We postulated different contributions of Mary River and Burnett River gene pools into the Brisbane River and North Pine River populations, related to documented translocation events. We ran the analysis for each marker separately, and we also estimated the posterior probabilities of the models combining the markers. Nuclear SNPs have the highest power to correctly identify the true model amongst the simulated datasets (where the model was known), but different markers typically provided similar answers. The most supported demographic model able to explain the real dataset implies that an endemic gene pool is present in the Brisbane and North Pine Rivers where past translocations are documented. These results will inform ongoing conservation efforts for this endangered and iconic species and warrant careful consideration of future genetic management of the Australian lungfish populations.

Australia’s first trap-and-haul fishway was built to overcome site-related and biological challenges of providing upstream fish transfer at a 62 m dam. Challenges included multiple barriers, major ...

Engineering solutions that aim to restore hydrological connectivity in river systems fragmented by dams and weirs frequently include the installation of fish passage facilities (i.e. fishways). Assessment of fish passage performance is often limited to single fishway designs and with a focus on species of commercial or conservation significance, meaning that conclusions regarding fishway success may not apply to all species that require access to fragmented habitats. We simultaneously compared the population structure and fish assemblage composition at two fishways (vertical slot and fish lock designs) at weirs in a subtropical coastal river system. We used hydrological and physico-chemical water quality data to explore if fishway performance was linked to particular environmental conditions. At both fishways, fish assemblage composition differed between fishway exit and downstream river samples, yet differences between exit and river samples were not associated with hydrological variables related to the size and frequency of weir drown-out events or water quality. Population structure of the most abundant species (sea mullet, Mugil cephalus; 61% of fish samples) also differed significantly among fishway exit and river habitats. A low-level structure spanning the river channel downstream of one weir was not associated with differences in fish assemblage composition indicating that access to the fishway entrance (and therefore fishway use) was not hindered by in-stream obstructions. Eight and seven species (predominantly small-bodied species that migrate within freshwater systems) were exclusively sampled in downstream river locations at the vertical slot and fish lock fishways, respectively, indicating that neither design was fully capable of facilitating the passage of the local fish fauna. Further assessment over a broader range of hydrological conditions will be necessary to determine if use of either fishway by fish is affected by low flows. Coupled with evidence produced from landscape-scale analysis of spatial and temporal variation in fish assemblage structure and dispersal patterns of diadromous species associated with river flow regime highlight that hydrological connectivity may be maintained by natural weir drown-out events. This study highlights that factors controlling hydrological connectivity for riverine biota need to be integrated among co-occurring anthropogenic impacts to identify and overcome constraints to effective conservation management in rivers subject to water resource development.

Meeting the conservation challenges of long‐lived animal species necessitate long‐term assessments of trophic ecology. The use of dietary proxies, such as ratios of naturally occurring stable isotopes in animal tissues demonstrating progressive growth, has shown considerable promise to reconstruct trophic histories of long‐lived organisms experiencing environmental change. Here, we combine innovative radiocarbon scale‐ageing techniques with stable isotope analysis of carbon and nitrogen from cross sections of scale to reconstruct the trophic ecology of Australian lungfish (Neoceratodus forsteri) across its remaining global distribution. Over a 65‐year period, we found pronounced temporal shifts in the δ13C and δ15N isotopic ratios of lungfish that coincided with a period of hydrological modification by dams and land‐use intensification associated with agriculture and livestock grazing. In the Brisbane and Burnett Rivers, whose hydrology is substantially regulated by large dams, lungfish showed consistent trends of δ13C depletion and δ15N enrichment over time. This may indicate anthropogenic changes in background isotopic levels of basal energy sources and/or that additional seston exported downstream from impoundments represent a carbon source that was previously unavailable, thus shifting lungfish diet from benthic‐dominated primary production typical of unmodified river systems, to pelagic carbon sources. By contrast, δ13C ratios of lungfish in the unregulated Mary River were more stable through time, whereas δ15N ratios increased during a period of dairy industry expansion and increased application of nitrogen fertilization and then subsequently decreased at the same time that rates of pasture development declined and nutrient inputs presumably decreased. In conclusion, we provide evidence for human‐caused alterations in background isotopic levels and potential changes in availability of benthic versus pelagic energy resources supporting Australian lungfish and demonstrate how detectable trophic signals in long‐lived fish scales can reveal long‐term anthropogenic changes in riverine ecosystems.

There is a growing need for water managers to refine and optimise environmental flow strategies (e-flows) to balance water requirements for humans and nature. With increasing demands for freshwater and consequent declines in biodiversity, managers are faced with the problem of how to adaptively manage e-flows for multiple stakeholders and species whose flow requirements may overlap or vary. This study assessed the effectiveness of a regulated e-flow release strategy from a dam, aimed at providing movement opportunities and facilitating reproductive processes for multiple threatened species. Movements of 24 Mary River cod (Maccullochella mariensis), 20 Australian lungfish (Neoceratodus forsteri) and 13 Mary River turtle (Elusor macrurus) were quantified using acoustic telemetry over a three-year period. The influence of regulated e-flow releases, season, river depth, water temperature and rainfall on animal movements was assessed using Generalised linear mixed models (GLMMs). Models showed that hydraulic connectivity provided by both natural flows and regulated e-flow releases facilitated movement of all three species between pool habitats, throughout the year. Mary River turtles made extensive use of regulated e-flow releases when moving between habitats, whereas Mary River cod and Australian lungfish required additional natural rises in river height above the regulated e-flows to trigger movements. Significant movement activity was also recorded for cod and turtles during the dry season (winter and spring), broadly coinciding with breeding periods for these species. The effectiveness of, and potential improvements to, current e-flow strategies to sustain key life-history requirements of these species is discussed. Findings suggest a revised e-flow strategy with relatively minor increases in the magnitude of e-flow releases throughout winter and spring, would be effective in providing movement opportunities and supporting reproductive success for all three species. This study demonstrates that by quantifying movement behaviour in an e-flow context, ecological risk assessment frameworks can then be used to assess and provide for critical life-history requirements of multiple species within the context of a highly regulated system under increasing water use demands.

Migratory species depend on connected habitats and appropriate migratory cues to complete their life cycles. Diadromous fish exemplify species with migratory life cycles by moving between connected freshwater and saltwater habitats to reproduce. However, migration increases the exposure of fish to multiple threats and it is critical that managers integrate habitat connectivity into resource management and conservation. The benefit of alternative management actions was assessed for a diadromous fish, the Australian bass Percalates novemaculeata, using a spatio-temporal population model informed by individual-based movement data. The management actions comprise seasonal closures during the spawning season, and controlling fishing pressure by limiting catch or effort. The benefits of implementing seasonal closures depend upon interactions among how fishing pressure is controlled, the response of anglers to fishery regulations and river flow regimes. The results indicated that seasonal closures are ineffective if fishing pressure is merely displaced to another location or time of year. In addition, shifting seasonal closures from spawning grounds to feeding grounds increased population abundances under low flow events when fishing effort was also controlled. However, when total annual catch is limited by a fishery closure, changing the location of seasonal closure schemes had little effect. The findings in this study highlight the need for flexible management strategies that account for migratory movements and respond both to variations in connectivity (e.g. river flow regime) and direct pressures on survivorship (e.g. exploitation). As the implementation of one management action (e.g. fishing or water regulation) could affect the influence of another management action, this study emphasizes the importance of cooperation between resource managers in conserving migratory species.

The Australian lungfish, Neoceratodus forsteri Krefft, 1870, is a threatened species whose long-term persistence is at risk due to land-use intensification, water resource development, and other human pressures. Changes to the hydrology of rivers has the potential to alter the availability of certain high-quality food resources for this species, that may impact recruitment success, and contribute to population declines. This study analysed the fatty acid (FA) composition of lungfish eggs and fin tissues from two locations upstream and downstream of a large dam in the Brisbane River. We tested the hypothesis that river impoundment and flow alteration associated with the dam have altered the dietary composition and the FA composition of important dietary items for N. forsteri which translates to the body tissues and eggs. The contribution of each food source was estimated with mixing models using carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes. The total FA content in lungfish fin and eggs was significantly higher in downstream sites compared to upstream. Few significant differences in FA contents of the nine potential lungfish food sources were found between sites upstream and downstream of the dam. Stable isotope analyses of lungfish fin tissues revealed the most likely food sources were gastropods, bivalves, and crustaceans, however their relative importance differed upstream and downstream of the dam. Collectively, these results indicate that the dam did not negatively affect food quality for lungfish downstream. The most likely mechanism for potential FA deficiency and subsequent impacts on recruitment success in N. forsteri would be due to changes to the availability of high-quality food sources. This study highlights the need for future research to determine whether the low FA contents we observed in lungfish, is a function of broader environmental changes, or if FA contents are naturally low for this sub-tropical species.

The Australian lungfish has been studied for more than a century without any knowledge of the longevity of the species. Traditional methods for ageing fish, such as analysis of otolith (ear stone) rings is complicated in that lungfish otoliths differ from teleost fish in composition. As otolith sampling is also lethal, this is not appropriate for a protected species listed under Australian legislation. Lungfish scales were removed from 500 fish from the Brisbane, Burnett and Mary rivers. A sub–sample of scales (85) were aged using bomb radiocarbon techniques and validated using scales marked previously with oxytetracycline. Lungfish ages ranged from 2.5–77 years of age. Estimated population age structures derived using an Age Length Key revealed different recruitment patterns between river systems. There were statistically significant von Bertalanffy growth model parameters estimated for each of the three rivers based on limited sample sizes. In addition, length frequency distributions between river systems were also significantly different. Further studies will be conducted to review drivers that may explain these inter-river differences.

An important challenge for conservation science is to detect declines in intraspecific diversity so that management action can be guided towards populations or species at risk. The lifespan of Australian lungfish (Neoceratodus forsteri) exceeds 80 years, and human impacts on breeding habitat over the last half century may have impeded recruitment, leaving populations dominated by old postreproductive individuals, potentially resulting in a small and declining breeding population. Here, we conduct a “single-sample” evaluation of genetic erosion within contemporary populations of the Australian lungfish. Genetic erosion is a temporal decline in intraspecific diversity due to factors such as reduced population size and inbreeding. We examined whether young individuals showed signs of reduced genetic diversity and/or inbreeding using a novel bomb radiocarbon dating method to age lungfish nonlethally, based on 14C ratios of scales. A total of 15,201 single nucleotide polymorphic (SNP) loci were genotyped in 92 individuals ranging in age from 2 to 77 years old. Standardized individual heterozygosity and individual inbreeding coefficients varied widely within and between riverine populations, but neither was associated with age, so perceived problems with recruitment have not translated into genetic erosion that could be considered a proximate threat to lungfish populations. Conservation concern has surrounded Australian lungfish for over a century. However, our results suggest that long-lived threatened species can maintain stable levels of intraspecific variability when sufficient reproductive opportunities exist over the course of a long lifespan. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd

Serpentinite soils, common throughout the world, are characterized by low calcium-to-magnesium ratios, low nutrient levels and elevated levels of heavy metals. Yet the water quality and heavy metal concentrations in sediments of streams draining serpentine geology have been little studied. The aim of this work was to collect baseline data on the water quality (for both wet and dry seasons) and metals in sediments at 11 sites on the Marlborough Creek system, which drains serpentine soils in coastal central Queensland, Australia. Water quality of the system was characterized by extremely hard waters (555–698 mg/L as CaCO3), high dissolved salts (684–1285 mg/L), pH (8.3–9.1) and dissolved oxygen (often >110% saturation). Cationic dominance was Mg > Na > Ca > K and for anions HCO3 > Cl > SO4. Al, Cu and Zn in stream waters were naturally high and exceeded Australian and New Zealand Environment and Conservation Council guidelines. Conductivity displayed the highest seasonal variability, decreasing significantly after wet season flows. There was little seasonal variation in pH, which often exceeded regional guidelines. Stream sediments were enriched with concentrations of Ni, Cr, Co and Zn up to 35, 21, 10 and 2 times the world average for shallow sediments, respectively. Concentrations for Ni and Cr were up to 60 and 16 times those of the relevant Interim Sediment Quality Guidelines Low Trigger Values, respectively. The distinctive nature of the water and sediment data suggests that it would be appropriate to establish more localized water quality and sediment guidelines for the creek system for the water quality parameters conductivity, Cu and Zn (and possibly Cr and Cd also), and for sediment concentrations of Cd, Cr and Ni.

The barcoding of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (coI) gene was amplified and sequenced from 16 species of freshwater fishes found in Lake Wivenhoe (south-eastern Queensland, Australia) to support monitoring of reservoir fish populations, ecosystem function and water health. In this study, 630-650 bp sequences of the coI barcoding gene from 100 specimens representing 15 genera, 13 families and two subclasses of fishes allowed 14 of the 16 species to be identified and differentiated. The mean ± s.e. Kimura 2 parameter divergence within and between species was 0·52 ± 0·10 and 23·8 ± 2·20% respectively, indicating that barcodes can be used to discriminate most of the fish species accurately. The two terapontids, Amniataba percoides and Leiopotherapon unicolor, however, shared coI DNA sequences and could not be differentiated using this gene. A barcoding database was established and a qPCR assay was developed using coI sequences to identify and quantify proportional abundances of fish species in ichthyoplankton samples from Lake Wivenhoe. These methods provide a viable alternative to the time-consuming process of manually enumerating and identifying ichthyoplankton samples.

Habitat fragmentation is a key anthropogenic factor in biodiversity decline, particularly in aquatic ecosystems. We predicted that differences in fish assemblage composition due to the impact of fragmentation would most strongly affect migratory species, and these effects would be dependent on the interaction between the characteristics of each barrier and the antecedent flow conditions that determine temporal variation in connectivity. These hypotheses were applied to a coastal river network in eastern Australia that is fragmented by multiple weirs and dams, including some with passage facilities. How these facilities interact with flow to mediate hydrological connectivity and hence patterns of community structure is unknown. Five distinct assemblages were identified that were associated with different combinations of environmental factors and barrier characteristics (spatial arrangement, passability), and key differences were due to variation in migration traits. Two spatially distinct assemblages were associated with fragmentation by two impassable barriers. However, the migration traits that accompanied these community changes were inconsistent between these groups, and likely reflected effects of barriers near the estuary and in the middle of the stream network on diadromous and freshwater-migratory species, respectively. Two assemblage groups in the vicinity of passable weirs varied temporally as a function of hydrology and the seasonal upstream movement of juvenile diadromous species. The effect of habitat loss in conjunction with fragmentation was evident, with a further assemblage group occurring in reaches where riparian vegetation and instream habitat have been altered by poor management of agriculture. This study indicates that the impact of habitat fragmentation in rivers depends on the interaction of the migration characteristics of biota, temporal variation in hydrology which mediates connectivity, and the location of anthropogenic barriers. Conservation policies aimed at minimizing human impacts on aquatic biodiversity need to jointly account for the separate impacts of habitat fragmentation and habitat loss.

During January 1994, feces from a captive juvenile Galápagos tortoise, Chelonoidis sp., from the Dallas Zoo, Dallas County, Texas was examined for coccidia. The tortoise was found to harbor an eimerian which is described as new. Sporulated oocysts of Eimeria iversoni n. sp. were ovoidal with a smooth, single-layered wall (∼ 0.5-0.8) that measured (L × W) 13.5 × 10.3 μm, with a length/width (L/W) ratio of 1.3; micropyle, oocyst residuum, and polar granule(s) were all absent; 2 conical projections were present on 1 end of oocyst and measured 1.0-1.5. Sporocysts were elongate-ellipsoidal and measured 8.3 × 4.5 μm, with L/W of 1.8; a Stieda body (∼ 0.5 high) was present, but substieda and parastieda bodies were absent; a sporocyst residuum was composed of 2-5 granules in a compact mass between sporozoites; sporozoites were banana-shaped and measured 9.5 × 2.5 in situ, with an ellipsoidal posterior refractile body and a spheroidal anterior refractile body. This is only the second time an eimerian has been reported from Galápagos tortoises.

This study assessed the spawning activity of the threatened Australian lungfish Neoceratodus forsteri by measuring egg densities within the artificial habitat of a large impoundment (Lake Wivenhoe, Australia). Eggs were sampled (August to November 2009) from multiple locations across the impoundment, but occurred at highest densities in water shallower than 40cm along shorelines with a dense cover of submerged terrestrial vegetation. The numbers of eggs declined over the study period and all samples were dominated by early developmental stages and high proportions of unviable eggs. The quality of the littoral spawning habitats declined over the study as flooded terrestrial grasses decomposed and filamentous algae coverage increased. Water temperatures at the spawning site exhibited extreme variations, ranging over 204 degrees C in water shallower than 5cm. Dissolved oxygen concentrations regularly declined to

Catadromous fish species often use elevated flows to migrate from freshwater to downstream spawning grounds. However, in regulated river systems, artificial barriers and flow alteration can disrupt movement cues, affecting fish migration. Using a combination of acoustic telemetry, passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags and gonad maturity data, we assessed the migratory timing and flow requirements for downstream spawning migrations and upstream dispersal in two co-occurring mullet species in the Logan River, eastern Australia. Over 4 years, 141 adult sea mullet (Mugil cephalus) and 28 adult pinkeye mullet (Trachystoma petardi) were implanted with acoustic transmitters and broad-scale movements tracked using an array of 49 acoustic receivers. Juvenile upstream dispersal was monitored using implanted PIT tags and readers deployed in weir fishways. Sea mullet and pinkeye mullet undertook large-scale downstream migrations from February to March. Movements past weirs only occurred once sufficient flow had occurred and, in the case of pinkeye mullet, when gonads were mature. In contrast, juvenile dispersal into upstream habitats occurred primarily between November and April on low flows. This study advances our understanding of bidirectional movement ecology and flow requirements of two co-occurring mullet species to inform environmental flow management (e.g. to facilitate fish passage) in a regulated river system.

Patterns of connectivity are critical to structuring both spatial and temporal variation in the composition of species populations and assemblages. Water resource development has an important impact on longitudinal connectivity in rivers, and disrupts natural patterns of dispersal of individuals between segments of the river network. Consequently, artificial barriers alter the structure, size and distribution of species populations leading to impacts on aquatic biodiversity. Quantitative assessment of the ecological effects of connectivity alteration is necessary to develop effective conservation plans to manage the impacts of anthropogenic fragmentation. Connectivity alteration is a complex environmental disturbance because the potential scale of impact is dependent on the spatial scale at which biota undergo life-history processes such as spawning and recruitment. Few river networks have single migration barriers, meaning that multiple points of fragmentation are present and have potentially interacting effects. Therefore, conventional ‘control–impact’ approaches to impact assessment may be inappropriate or confounded. Furthermore, monitoring patterns of fish population or assemblage structure moving through fish passage facilities alone creates a mismatch between the spatial scale of impact and assessment of water resource development. This paper uses a case study in subtropical Australia to highlight three potential approaches to increasing inference of the impact of fragmentation by barriers on riverine fish. Thorough understanding of life-history and dispersal ecology of fish is necessary to understand and predict the consequences of fragmentation, and comparing patterns of distribution among species with different migration requirements can identify sources of fragmentation. Monitoring patterns in fish assemblages at both the barrier and river network scale increases the strength of inference of the effects of connectivity alteration and management. Experimental removal of artificial barriers would assist in determining the effect of fragmentation by restoring connectivity. Such approaches would improve predictions of connectivity management and underlying drivers of aquatic biodiversity. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Predicting fish responses to modified flow regimes is becoming central to fisheries management. In this study we present an agent-based model (ABM) to predict the growth and distribution of young-of-the-year (YOY) and one-year-old (1+) Atlantic salmon and brown trout in response to flow change during summer. A field study of a real population during both natural and low flow conditions provided the simulation environment and validation patterns. Virtual fish were realistic both in terms of bioenergetics and feeding. We tested alternative movement rules to replicate observed patterns of body mass, growth rates, stretch distribution and patch occupancy patterns. Notably, there was no calibration of the model. Virtual fish prioritising consumption rates before predator avoidance replicated observed growth and distribution patterns better than a purely maximising consumption rule. Stream conditions of low predation and harsh winters provide ecological justification for the selection of this behaviour during summer months. Overall, the model was able to predict distribution and growth patterns well across both natural and low flow regimes. The model can be used to support management of salmonids by predicting population responses to predicted flow impacts and associated habitat change.

– The links between river flows, water temperature, river regulation and recruitment variability of Golden Perch, Macquaria ambigua oriens, were investigated from the Fitzroy Basin, Queensland. The dominant age classes determined by interpreting growth marks observed in otoliths were variable among rivers. Positive correlations between the age frequency and monthly river flow volumes were greatest in summer (December–March) conversely, autumn, winter and spring river flows correlated poorly for most rivers. Water temperature exhibits strong seasonality across the basin with mean monthly temperatures >23 °C generally occurring between October and April. These data indicate the combination of water temperature and increased river flows are important factors for recruitment. The degree of river regulation is also suspected of contributing to increased variability in dominant age classes within rivers. This assessment highlights the importance of timing of river flows in mitigating the negative effects of river regulation on golden perch populations.

The Australian lungfish is a unique living representative of an ancient dipnoan lineage, listed as ‘vulnerable’ to extinction under Australia’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. Historical accounts indicate this species occurred naturally in two adjacent river systems in Australia, the Burnett and Mary. Current day populations in other rivers are thought to have arisen by translocation from these source populations. Early genetic work detected very little variation and so had limited power to answer questions relevant for management including how genetic variation is partitioned within and among sub-populations. In this study, we use newly developed microsatellite markers to examine samples from the Burnett and Mary Rivers, as well as from two populations thought to be of translocated origin, Brisbane and North Pine. We test whether there is significant genetic structure among and within river drainages; assign putatively translocated populations to potential source populations; and estimate effective population sizes. Eleven polymorphic microsatellite loci genotyped in 218 individuals gave an average within-population heterozygosity of 0.39 which is low relative to other threatened taxa and for freshwater fishes in general. Based on F ST values (average over loci = 0.11) and STRUCTURE analyses, we identify three distinct populations in the natural range, one in the Burnett and two distinct populations in the Mary. These analyses also support the hypothesis that the Mary River is the likely source of translocated populations in the Brisbane and North Pine rivers, which agrees with historical published records of a translocation event giving rise to these populations. We were unable to obtain bounded estimates of effective population size, as we have too few genotype combinations, although point estimates were low, ranging from 29 - 129. We recommend that, in order to preserve any local adaptation in the three distinct populations that they be managed separately.

Catadromous fish species require adequate flows to migrate between fresh and saltwater habitats to reproduce. However, artificial barriers and flow alteration affect fish populations by reducing habitat connectivity and disrupting movement cues. In regulated rivers, it is critical that migratory flow requirements are quantified to optimise water allocation for multiple users. In the present study, we assessed the migratory timing, flow and estuarine aggregation requirements for Australian bass (Percalates novemaculeata). Over 2 years, 66 bass were tracked using an acoustic receiver array in the Logan River (Qld, Australia). Bass performed large-scale downstream movements in response to elevated winter flows (40 and 108m3 s–1), which facilitated migration to the lower estuary, where salinity conditions were appropriate for spawning. Bass migrations occurred only when gonads were mature, despite large flows providing opportunities for movement outside this period. Experimental flow releases from an impoundment (2.1m3 s–1) during winter did not elicit a migratory response. Connectivity between upstream and estuarine habitats was reduced by the presence of instream weirs, with downstream movement across weirs occurring only when sufficient flow magnitude was achieved (>76.1m3 s–1). These findings are relevant for water resource managers formulating environmental flow rules for catadromous fish species in systems with multiple instream artificial barriers.

Facultative air-breathing fish can persist in hypoxic waters due to their capacity to acquire atmospheric oxygen. Most studies examining responses of air-breathing fish to aquatic hypoxia have occurred under experimental conditions. How air-breathing fish respond to hypoxic conditions in the field has received less attention. Using depth sensor transmitters and an array of acoustic receivers to monitor the facultative air-breathing Australian lungfish (Neoceratodus forsteri), we investigated habitat preferences and behavioural responses to seasonal hypoxic zones in a riverine impoundment. Three-dimensional (3-D) kernel utilisation distribution (KUD) models revealed that during stratified conditions, lungfish remained above the oxycline, rarely venturing into hypoxic waters, whereas during holomixis lungfish used a wider range of depths. Total volumetric space utilisation did not change significantly during stratified periods, but the distribution of space used changed, constrained by the oxycline. Despite N. forsteri having lungs to supplement oxygen requirements, the presence of a hypoxic zone constrained the core (50% 3-D-KUD) volumetric space used by lungfish to

(1999). The Payne Memorial Essay Competition 1996 Revival and Renewal in Baptist Life. Baptist Quarterly: Vol. 38, No. 4, pp. 159-200.

En juin 1891, Thomas Howe s'installa comme missionnaire a la Mission de Deanery Road dans la paroisse St Augustin de Bristol. Il demeura a ce poste jusqu'en 1896 et fit chaque jour un compte rendu detaille de son travail. Il a note ses visites, les problemes qu'il a rencontres, les realisations de la Mission et, a l'occasion, ses propres reflexions. Ces six documents se trouvent dans les archives de l'Eglise baptiste Tyndale de Bristol. Ils fournissent des renseignements uniques non seulement sur son travail quotidien, mais aussi sur la vie des gens de ce quartier de Bristol dans les annees 1890. Cet article rapporte une partie de ces renseignements.

Kemp’s comments in this issue (Kemp 2015) have raised several issues regarding dating Australian lungfish ( Neoceratodus forsteri ) using bomb radiocarbon in their scales (James et al. 2010). The James et al. (2010) publication represented a pilot study in which the feasibility of using bomb 14 C in lungfish scales could provide an age for an individual fish. Kemp’s first issue relates to nomenclature regarding the different parts of the scale. This nomenclature was detailed in Kemp (2012), two years after the publication of the James et al. (2010). We acknowledge this new publication and accept the updated terminology. DOI: 10.2458/azu_rc.57.18199

1. Until recently the status of Margaritifera margaritifera L. in Northern Ireland was not well documented. This paper presents the results of field surveys conducted in 1990/'91 and in 1996 at over 200 sites covering all major river systems in Northern Ireland. 2.Margaritifera populations in Northern Ireland were recorded at just 20 sites mainly located in the west of the province. Formerly many rivers supported vast numbers of mussels but anecdotal evidence points to periods of major declines in mussel populations since the turn of the century. 3. The absence of mussels smaller than 30 mm in length at most sites suggests very little or no recruitment during the past decade. During the surveys, deteriorating water quality, habitat disturbance and pearl fishing were recorded and are the major causes of the decline of the freshwater pearl mussel in Northern Ireland. 4. Unless the above problems are alleviated in the very near future, M.margaritifera will probably become extinct in Northern Ireland. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Fifty-two North American zoo reptile and amphibian departments were surveyed to determine their contributions to recognized American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA)-sponsored programs and formalized research projects over the past 10 years. Surveys also requested information concerning the allocation of resources for conservation and research programs, staff educational background, and entry level salaries. Twenty-two institutions responded to the survey, collectively indicating a total of 164 technical papers, 16 field studies, and 101 non-technical articles completed between 1987 and 1997. Of the 164 technical papers published, 130 (79%) were contributed by three institutions. Of the 16 field studies, seven were outside the United States, whereas nine focused on native species and ecosystems. Six of the reported field studies involved only financial or logistical support. Of the 101 non-technical articles, 42 (42%) were contributed by a single institution. Twenty-one formalized in-house research projects were reported. However, only four appeared to have a clearly defined objective. Survey respondents also reported nine species of reptiles and one amphibian taxon are managed by Species Survival Plans (SSPs). There are currently 12 Taxon Advisory Group (TAG) coordinators, with four of the current coordinators having served on multiple TAG committees. There are 41 AZA-approved studbooks for reptiles and two for amphibians, with 29 having actually been published to date. The average starting salary reported in our survey for entry level keeper positions was $19,500 (range, $13,500–30,000). The average level of education reported was high school graduate. There was no correlation between productivity and higher wages, or level of education. Only one institution received funding specifically for research. We conclude that zoo herpetology departments are not realizing their potential for formalized research and conservation projects and propose recommendations for future involvement. Zoo Biol 17:453–462, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

I. Margaritifera margaritifera populations are declining throughout its range, including Ireland, despite legislation designed to protect freshwater pearl mussels and their habitat. 2. A survey of freshwater pearl mussels was carried out on rivers in County Donegal, north-west Ireland, to determine the current distribution, size and density of M. margaritifera populations, as well as to identify potential threats to mussels there. 3. The survey revealed the freshwater pearl mussel to be widespread, particularly in the western half of the county. However, densities of mussels at most sites are low, with just two sites having mussel densities of over 5m-2. Furthermore, the species appears to be absent from a number of sites from which it had been previously recorded. 4. According to the literature, there is a long history of pearl fishing in Co. Donegal and neighbouring counties. Evidence from heaps of shells found on the river bed and banks at several sites and recent anecdotal reports from local people suggest pearl fishing is being practised on all rivers investigated during the present study. 5. The main conservation requirements for M. margaritifera populations in Donegal are to maintain water quality at its present high standard and, as pearl fishing appears to be a widespread and immediate threat to the remaining mussel populations, to enforce existing legislation designed to protect M. margaritifera.

Item does not contain fulltext BACKGROUND: The effect of intensified platelet inhibition for patients with unstable angina or myocardial infarction without ST-segment elevation who do not undergo revascularization has not been delineated. METHODS: In this double-blind, randomized trial, in a primary analysis involving 7243 patients under the age of 75 years receiving aspirin, we evaluated up to 30 months of treatment with prasugrel (10 mg daily) versus clopidogrel (75 mg daily). In a secondary analysis involving 2083 patients 75 years of age or older, we evaluated 5 mg of prasugrel versus 75 mg of clopidogrel. RESULTS: At a median follow-up of 17 months, the primary end point of death from cardiovascular causes, myocardial infarction, or stroke among patients under the age of 75 years occurred in 13.9% of the prasugrel group and 16.0% of the clopidogrel group (hazard ratio in the prasugrel group, 0.91; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.79 to 1.05; P=0.21). Similar results were observed in the overall population. The prespecified analysis of multiple recurrent ischemic events (all components of the primary end point) suggested a lower risk for prasugrel among patients under the age of 75 years (hazard ratio, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.72 to 1.00; P=0.04). Rates of severe and intracranial bleeding were similar in the two groups in all age groups. There was no significant between-group difference in the frequency of nonhemorrhagic serious adverse events, except for a higher frequency of heart failure in the clopidogrel group. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with unstable angina or myocardial infarction without ST-segment elevation, prasugrel did not significantly reduce the frequency of the primary end point, as compared with clopidogrel, and similar risks of bleeding were observed. (Funded by Eli Lilly and Daiichi Sankyo; TRILOGY ACS ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00699998.).

Inbreeding for 6 generations has produced a strain of amelanistic western diamondback rattlesnakes (Crotalus atrox) with extremely variable scalation. Forty-four siblings varying from virtually no body scalation to normal scalation have been produced in the latest generation. Two of the 3 most extreme “scaleless” snakes were stillborn; the third was maintained for > 1 year. Two of 7 snakes with greatly reduced head and body scales have died; however, the remaining 5 are being maintained and appear to be growing and healthy at 5 or 6 years of age. All snakes with reduced body scales have abnormal ventral scutes. Fifteen snakes with predominantly normal body scales have anomalous head scales, head scale patterns, and ventral scutes. One snake has predominantly normal scalation except for aberrant ventrals. A total of 18 Generation VI snakes have been classified as “normal,” although all snakes were not closely examined before disposition. Nine of the more normally scaled generation VI snakes are also being maintained in the laboratory. It is difficult to separate the genetic and environmental components of these phenotypes with existing information; however, it seems apparent that more than a single locus is involved. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

La memoire de Richard Glover est ombragee par celle de son illustre fils. Mais pour les baptistes, il doit revetir une importance toute particuliere car il personnifie l'esprit de mission a l'etranger et en Angleterre dans la seconde partie du XIX e siecle. Issu d'une famille de presbyteriens, Glover a prefere s'unir a la famille baptiste qui selon lui reconnaissait mieux la dignite de chacun ainsi que l'esprit du N.T. Son style est fait de respect de la conscience individuelle. Glover pense que le ministre, l'evangeliste ou le missionnaire doit chercher la particularite de chaque individu afin de pouvoir recevoir l'Evangile

Cyanobacterial blooms in drinking water reservoirs present a major ecosystem functioning and human health issue. The ability to predict reservoir vulnerability to these blooms would provide information critical for decision making, hazard prevention and management. We developed a new, comparative index of vulnerability based on simple measures of reservoir and catchment characteristics, rather than water quality data, which were instead used to test the index's effectiveness. Testing was based on water quality data collected over a number of seasons and years from 15 drinking water reservoirs in subtropical, southeast Queensland. The index correlated significantly and strongly with algal cell densities, including potentially toxic cyanobacteria, as well as with the proportions of cyanobacteria in summer months. The index also performed better than each of the measures of reservoir and catchment characteristics alone, and as such, was able to encapsulate the physical characteristics of subtropical reservoirs, and their catchments, into an effective indicator of the vulnerability to summer blooms. This was further demonstrated by calculating the index for a new reservoir to be built within the study region. Under planned dimensions and land use, a comparatively high level of vulnerability was reached within a few years. However, the index score and the number of years taken to reach a similar level of vulnerability could be reduced simply by decreasing the percentage of grazing land cover via revegetation within the catchment. With climate change, continued river impoundment and the growing demand for potable water, our index has potential decision making benefits when planning future reservoirs to reduce their vulnerability to cyanobacterial blooms.

The insectivorous, heliophilic iguanid lizard, Sceloporus occidentalis, was used in this study. Eight groups of field-collected juveniles were subjected to different doses of ultraviolet-B radiation or were fed crickets maintained on different diets with varying amounts of vitamin D3 and other nutrients. The crickets fed to all groups were dusted with calcium carbonate powder. Snout-vent lengths and body masses were significantly greater within each group at the end of 10 weeks; however, there were no significant among-group differences in growth. There were no differences among treatment groups regarding plasma calcium concentration or bone calcium, phosphorus or magnesium concentrations. However, compared to length-matched field controls, individuals from treatment groups had significantly greater body masses, greater bone calcium concentrations, and lower bone magnesium concentrations. Lizards exposed to ultraviolet radiation exhibited lower plasma phosphorus concentrations relative to several other treatment groups and field controls. In the field sample, bone calcium concentration was positively correlated with body size while bone magnesium and phosphorus concentrations were negatively correlated with body size.

The increasing incidence of both systemic and superficial fungal infections in immunocompromised patients, together the advent of newer, more effective drugs for preexisting disease, suggests that use of antifungal drugs will increase over the coming years. It is appropriate, therefore, to review both the risks and benefits that may accrue from their use. Clearly the risk/benefit ratio of any drug is not fixed and will alter according to the severity of the disease; it is permissible to run a greater degree of risk in the treatment of life-threatening systemic infection than it is when treating relatively trivial but possibly chronic superficial disease. This chapter concentrates on the risk/benefit ratio related to the treatment of superficial fungal infection.

Oral griseofulvin has been the first-line drug in the therapy of dermatophyte onychomycosis for many years. Even when used long-term, it is effective in only about 30% of patients. Ketoconazole is not much more effective than griseofulvin in toenail infections, and there are significant problems with hepatotoxicity. Recently the triazoles, itraconazole and fluconazole, and the allylamine, terbinafine, were introduced and are believed to be potentially suitable for the oral treatment of fungal nail infection. Terbinafine is particularly effective in the treatment of dermatophyte onychomycosis, with a much shorter treatment period than griseofulvin. Cure rates of well over 80% have been noted in fingernail and toenail infection during treatment periods of 6 and 12 weeks, respectively. Itraconazole, 200 mg/day, has been noted in some studies to be similarly effective in the same treatment period. Few studies of fluconazole in nail infection have been carried out. These new agents appear to be safe, and results thus far suggest that they will soon overtake griseofulvin as the drug of choice in the oral therapy of nail infection.

Reperfusion with percutaneous transluminal coronary intervention (PCI) is effective at improving outcomes in patients with acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). However, in patients without prompt reestablishment of brisk coronary flow and tissue perfusion, mortality remains high, providing an opportunity for novel treatments, including anti-inflammatory agents.To evaluate the effectiveness of pexelizumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody that binds the C5 component of complement, as an adjunct to PCI in improving 30-day mortality from STEMI.This trial was a prospective, multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 study of the intravenous administration of pexelizumab in conjunction with primary PCI in STEMI with prespecified high-risk electrocardiographic findings. The trial was intended to enroll 8500 patients, but in conjunction with the US Food and Drug Administration enrollment was modified to 5745 patients presenting from 296 hospitals in 17 countries from July 13, 2004, to May 11, 2006.Two thousand eight hundred eighty-five patients were randomly assigned to receive placebo and 2860 to receive pexelizumab given as a 2-mg/kg intravenous bolus prior to PCI followed by 0.05-mg/kg per hour infusion over the subsequent 24 hours. Patients were randomized within 6 hours of symptom onset.The primary end point was all-cause mortality through day 30. Secondary end points were death through day 90 and the composite of death, cardiogenic shock, or congestive heart failure through days 30 and 90.No difference in mortality through day 30 was observed between the pexelizumab and placebo treatment groups, with 116 patients (4.06%) and 113 patients (3.92%) who died in the respective groups (hazard ratio [HR], 1.04; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.80-1.35; log-rank P = .78). The composite end points of death, shock, or heart failure were also similar with 257 patients (8.99%) receiving pexelizumab and 265 patients (9.19%) receiving placebo at 30 days (HR, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.83-1.16; P = .81) and 293 patients (10.24%) receiving pexelizumab and 293 patients (10.16%) receiving placebo at 90 days (HR, 1.01; 95% CI, 0.86-1.19; P = .91).In this large clinical trial of patients treated with primary PCI for STEMI, mortality was low and unaffected by administration of pexelizumab.clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00091637.

(1985). The Genesis of the Cross Commission. Journal of Educational Administration and History: Vol. 17, No. 2, pp. 30-38.