Assemblage patterns of fish functional groups relative to habitat connectivity and conditions in floodplain lakes

Miyazono S, Aycock JN, Miranda LE, Tietjen TE. Assemblage patterns of fish functional groups relative to habitat connectivity and conditions in floodplain lakes.
Ecology of Freshwater Fish 2010: 19: 578–585. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S Abstract – We evaluated the influences of habitat connectivity and local environmental factors on the distribution and abundance patterns of fish functional groups in 17 floodplain lakes in the Yazoo River Basin, USA. The results of univariate and multivariate analyses showed that species–environmental relationships varied with the functional groups. Species richness and assemblage structure of periodic strategists showed strong and positive correlations with habitat connectivity. Densities of most equilibrium and opportunistic strategists decreased with habitat connectivity. Densities of certain equilibrium and opportunistic strategists increased with turbidity. Forested wetlands around the lakes were positively related to the densities of periodic and equilibrium strategists. These results suggest that decreases in habitat connectivity, forested wetland buffers and water quality resulting from environmental manipulations may cause local extinction of certain fish taxa and accelerate the dominance of tolerant fishes in floodplain lakes.     

Effects of a rock‐ramp fishway on summer fish assemblage in a Lake Huron tributary

The use of nature‐like fishways to increase ecosystem connectivity has increased in recent years, but their effectiveness has rarely been evaluated. A rock ramp was constructed in the Shiawassee River in 2009, and post‐construction effects (2011–2012) were evaluated on the summer fish assemblage by comparing fish assemblage composition to a nearby free‐flowing river and a nearby river with a dam. Patterns of fish species richness, mean catch‐per‐unit‐effort and proportional abundance in reaches upstream and downstream of the rock ramp, dam and comparable sites in the free‐flowing river were evaluated. Overall, species richness by site and proportional abundance in the rock‐ramp river were more similar to the free‐flowing river, while species richness by reach was more similar to the dammed river. These findings suggest that the rock ramp has improved connectivity for the summer fish assemblage, but has not fully restored conditions to the level observed in a free‐flowing river.     

基于CART算法的长江口鱼种丰富度预测

长江口是西太平洋最大的河口生态系统和典型的生态群落交错区,预测鱼类生物多样性对评价其生态系统有着重要的科学指示意义。结合2012―2013年长江口15个站点的渔业资源和环境调查数据,利用分类与回归树(CART)算法中的回归树算法,构建了长江口鱼种丰富度预测模型。基于1-SE准则,最优决策树的复杂性参数设置为0.067,结果表明,盐度、溶解氧和季节是影响长江口鱼类生物多样性的主要因子。此外,使用2014年的观测数据对回归树模型预测的长江口鱼种丰富度予以验证,均方根误差(RMSE)、平均相对误差(ARE)和平均绝对误差(AAE)值的统计结果显示,回归树模型在春、夏季的预测效能优于秋、冬季,模型总体上呈现出了较好的预测能力,表明利用CART算法对长江口鱼种丰富度进行预测是可行的。     

Realizing the potential of trait‐based approaches to advance fisheries science

Analysing how fish populations and their ecological communities respond to perturbations such as fishing and environmental variation is crucial to fisheries science. Researchers often predict fish population dynamics using species‐level life‐history parameters that are treated as fixed over time, while ignoring the impact of intraspecific variation on ecosystem dynamics. However, there is increasing recognition of the need to include processes operating at ecosystem levels (changes in drivers of productivity) while also accounting for variation over space, time and among individuals. To address similar challenges, community ecologists studying plants, insects and other taxa increasingly measure phenotypic characteristics of individual animals that affect fitness or ecological function (termed “functional traits”). Here, we review the history of trait‐based methods in fish and other taxa, and argue that fisheries science could see benefits by integrating trait‐based approaches within existing fisheries analyses. We argue that measuring and modelling functional traits can improve estimates of population and community dynamics, and rapidly detect responses to fishing and environmental drivers. We support this claim using three concrete examples: how trait‐based approaches could account for time‐varying parameters in population models; improve fisheries management and harvest control rules; and inform size‐based models of marine communities. We then present a step‐by‐step primer for how trait‐based methods could be adapted to complement existing models and analyses in fisheries science. Finally, we call for the creation and expansion of publicly available trait databases to facilitate adapting trait‐based methods in fisheries science, to complement existing public databases of life‐history parameters for marine organisms.     

黄河口及其邻近水域鱼类生物完整性评价

根据2013—2014年在黄河口及其邻近海域进行的鱼类资源底拖网调查数据,并结合20世纪80年代和90年代的历史资料,依照黄河口水域鱼类区域组成特征,从鱼类种类组成、繁殖共位体、鱼类耐受性和营养结构等方面提出了12个评价指标,初步构建了黄河口水域鱼类生物完整性指数评价指标体系,并制定了评价标准,根据不同年代数据之间的差距分3个层次赋值打分,研究了黄河口水域鱼类生物完整性及其年代际变化。结果表明,20世纪80年代初期黄河口水域鱼类生物完整性表现为"极好"水平;90年代处于"差"水平;2013年处于"极差"的水平。与20世纪80年代初期相比,黄河口及其邻近水域的鱼类生物完整性呈下降趋势,人为因素对生态环境干扰较大,过度捕捞等造成黄河口水域鱼类种类减少甚至消失,黄河口水域生态健康状况下降。     

Effects of fish species richness and assemblage composition on stream ecosystem function

Abstract –  Biodiversity is declining across aquatic ecosystems because of biological invasions and species extinctions. Because fishes have pervasive effects on ecosystems through species-specific food web interactions, alterations to species and functional richness, and composition of natural assemblages could have negative effects on aquatic ecosystem function. In this study, I tested the effects of fish species and functional richness, and assemblage composition on primary production (PPR), benthic invertebrate density, and benthic particulate organic matter (BPOM) in a 42-day experiment in artificial stream mesocosms. I found that fish species richness and assemblage composition were important predictors of PPR in stream mesocosms. However, the effect of species richness on PPR increased with time, suggesting that richness-related effects might strengthen as the magnitude of community-level interactions increases in ecosystems. There was no effect of fish species or functional richness or assemblage composition on benthic invertebrate densities or BPOM. These data provide additional support that fishes can be important regulators of ecosystem function in aquatic systems, and suggest that positive effects of fishes on ecosystems can be strengthened by increased species richness and composition of the assemblage. This study broadens the applicability of the biodiversity ecosystem-function literature to a new suite of taxa, supporting the overall hypothesis that ecosystem functions and services are likely to decline in response to species extinctions.     

The effectiveness of seahorses and pipefish (Pisces: Syngnathidae) as a flagship group to evaluate the conservation value of estuarine seagrass beds

• 1. Syngnathids (Pisces, Syngnathidae: seahorses and pipefish) were investigated for their use as a flagship group to evaluate the conservation value of estuarine seagrass beds in estuaries in south‐east Australia. Some species of syngnathids are listed internationally as vulnerable or endangered, and they are a charismatic group of fish that attracts a high level of public support and sympathy. Syngnathids are also protected in several states of Australia. Conservation of syngnathids might provide coincidental benefits to other species that share their habitats.
• 2. The effectiveness of syngnathids as a flagship group was assessed by (1) testing for correlations with other fish in species richness, density, assemblage variation, and summed irreplaceability value, and (2) determining the number of species of all other fish coincidentally captured in marine protected areas (MPAs) selected for syngnathids. The study was undertaken in a single estuary (scale: tens of square kilometres) and across multiple estuaries (scale: hundreds of square kilometres).
• 3. Densities of syngnathids and other fish were correlated only at the scale of multiple estuaries. Species richness and summed irreplaceability of syngnathids and other fish were not spatially correlated. Spatial variations in assemblages of syngnathids and other fish were correlated. MPAs selected for syngnathids included more non‐syngnathid species than a random selection of locations.
• 4. This study provides evidence that ranking the conservation value of seagrass beds on the basis of the density and assemblage variation of syngnathids, and selecting MPAs to represent syngnathid species, will simultaneously benefit other fish. Synganthids are therefore regarded as a useful flagship group for conservation planning.

Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Fish trait diversity in littorals of two floodplain lakes of the highly biodiverse Caura River,Venezuela

We studied the trait diversity and structure in the fish communities of two floodplain lakes of the Caura River: Aricagua and Paramuto, during one hydrological cycle. We calculated taxonomic and a functional alpha and beta diversities and made comparisons among hydrological seasons and among habitats within each lake based on rarefactions. The trait structure was explored with an RLQ (analysis of a table R of environmental conditions, a table L of abundances of species and a table Q of species traits) analysis, and pairwise relationships between environmental variables and traits were explored with fourth‐corner analyses. Despite its smaller extension, Paramuto showed higher alpha taxonomic and trait diversities. The substrates of open sand and those covered by leaf litter were the most diverse habitats in terms of both species and traits. The trait structure of the fish communities was influenced by the hydrological seasons, the lakes as well as water pH and temperature, and in a lesser degree dissolved oxygen, habitat type and total dissolved solids in the water. These factors constitute the habitat templet for the fish community's composition and trait structure.     

夏季台湾海峡北部及邻近海域鱼类群落结构及环境解释

根据2014年7月台湾海峡中部、北部及邻近水域渔业资源底拖网调查资料,分析了该水域的鱼类群落结构,包括种类组成、区系特点、优势种、多样性及空间分布等,探讨了鱼类群落结构与环境因子的关系,并阐述了鱼类群落的群聚结构。结果表明,调查海域共捕获鱼类84种,隶属于16目、48科、69属。从种类数上看,适温类型以暖水种为主,区系类型以大陆架浅水底层鱼类以及大陆架岩礁性鱼类为主;从生物量组成上看,区系类型则以大陆架浅水中低层鱼类为主。优势种为带鱼(Trichiurus japonicus)和七星底灯鱼(Benthosema pterotum),合计渔获质量占总渔获质量的46.92%,对总渔获质量的回归贡献值分别为0.30和0.62;高生物量区集中分布在台湾海峡北口海域,在空间上表现为明显的生态位重叠。层次聚类分析将群落优势物种划分为2个主要的生态类型:沿海类型和广布类型,沿海类型的代表性物种包括龙头鱼、黄鲫、鳓;广布类型物种有带鱼、窄颅带鱼、七星底灯鱼、竹荚鱼、刺鲳、麦氏犀鳕。Shannon-Wiener多样性、Pielou均匀度和Margalef丰富度的变化范围分别为0.22~2.31、0.11~0.72、0.36~4.04,平均值分别为1.44、0.51、1.59,丰富度与总渔获质量表现为显著负相关(r=?0.65),与深度显著正相关(r=0.48)。物种?环境典范对应分析表明,与物种空间结构关系密切的影响因子为底盐、底层无机氮、底温、表底温差和水深;而影响群落优势群体分布的因子为底温、底盐和底层无机氮。     

Fish assemblages of the northern Argentine coastal system: spatial patterns and their temporal variations

The springtime spatial pattern of demersal fish assemblages in the northern Argentine coastal ecosystem (34°–41°S) and their relationships with environmental variables were investigated over 6 years (1981, 1983, 1994, 1995, 1998 and 1999). For each fish assemblage area for each year, we identified the most common species and those species that had the highest ability to discriminate it from adjacent assemblage areas. Within each area, species were considered as resident (common in all years) or facultative (contributing to less than 90% of similarity within any year). The analysis (detrended canonical correspondence analysis), conducted using species abundances (t nm^?2) and environmental data, indicated that six fish assemblage areas are consistently distinguishable. The fish assemblage areas correspond to inner, central and middle regions of the Río de la Plata estuary, and inner, central and middle regions of the coastal shelf. Spatial differences in the composition among areas were primarily due to changes in species composition rather than changes in relative abundance, and were primarily related to water mass characteristics. Salinity in the estuary and temperature on the shelf were more relevant to the spatial structuring of the fish community in each environment. The assemblage areas showed a remarkable degree of temporal persistence in species composition and geographical location. The facultative species contributed more to the species composition temporal dynamics than resident species. El Niño (La Niña) condition, associated with increase (decrease) of the Río de la Plata freshwater discharge, produced a movement of the estuarine assemblage areas to the coastal shelf (upriver). Under normal freshwater discharge conditions, the boundaries of the fish assemblages were relatively more stable.     

Biogeographic freshwater fish pattern legacy revealed despite rapid socio‐economic changes in China

Understanding drivers of freshwater fish assemblages is critically important for biodiversity conservation strategies, especially in rapidly developing countries, which often have environmental protections lagging behind economic development. The influences of natural and human factors in structuring fish assemblages and their relative contributions are likely to change given the increasing magnitude of human activities. To discriminate natural and human drivers of fish diversity and assemblage patterns in developing countries with rapid socio‐economic development, a dataset of 908 freshwater fish species and 13 metrics including three categories of both natural (i.e., biogeographic) and human drivers (i.e., economic growth, inland fisheries) in China were analysed with machine learning algorithms (i.e., self‐organizing map, random forest). Here, we found that biogeographic drivers explained 21.8% of the observed fish assemblage patterns in China and remained stronger predictors when compared to human drivers (i.e., 15.6%, respectively). Freshwater fish species richness was positively correlated to rainfall, air temperature, surface water area and inland fisheries production but negatively correlated with urbanization. In addition, the strong structuring effects of climatic variables on Chinese fish richness patterns suggested that the fish assemblages could be particularly vulnerable to climate change. Our results showed that natural biogeographic factors still dominate in driving freshwater fish assemblage patterns despite increased human disturbances on aquatic ecosystems in a rapidly developing country. These findings consequently suggested that we should consider both natural (e.g., climate) and human (e.g., urbanization, inland fisheries) factors when establishing aquatic conservation strategies and priorities for developing countries that are experiencing rapid socio‐economic changes.     

Diel variation in the seagrass ichthyofaunas of three intermittently open estuaries in south-eastern Australia: implications for improving fish diversity assessments

Diel variation in the ichthyofaunas associated with Zostera capricorni Ascherson was investigated in three intermittently open estuaries in the Illawarra region, New South Wales. Each estuary showed differing diel shifts in fish assemblages, which appeared to be related to estuary size. In the largest estuary (Lake Illawarra) significantly more species were caught during the night than the day for all months. In contrast, there was little diel variation in the fish assemblages at Werri Lagoon and Shellharbour Lagoon, although many species were only caught during the night at both estuaries. The distinct diel changes at Lake Illawarra was thought to be attributable to the relatively deep channels adjacent to the seagrass beds which are better habitats for larger fishes compared with the shallow sand bars without deep channels throughout the two smaller estuaries. The composition of fish species within the three estuaries were significantly different, although each assemblage was characterised by large numbers of small-sized fish (<100 mm FL) indicating the importance of intermittently open estuaries as fish habitats. It was concluded that night sampling provided a more complete picture of the ichthyofaunas associated with Z. capricorni . As a result, inclusion of night sampling in fish diversity assessments would increase the chance of catching diurnally rare species and therefore attain a better representation of the true community structure.     

Fish species incidence patterns in naturally fragmented Chihuahuan Desert streams

We investigated how stream fragmentation affects local fish species persistence and extinction from three Rio Grande systems (Texas, USA) stream reaches with different levels of natural fragmentation. We examined species–volume (SV) relationships of fish assemblages in 42 pools across the watersheds and predicted greater fragmentation would correspond to an increase in the slope of the SV relationship due to decreased within‐reach rescue effects. In addition, we examined relationships among tributary‐specific nested subset patterns, local habitat features and spatial position of the reaches relative to the Rio Grande mainstem to better understand the importance of local and regional processes on fish species richness patterns in the stream reaches. Slopes of the SV curves did not differ among the stream reaches, but the intercepts of the SV curves were significantly different. These results indicated rescue effects among habitats within a stream reach were not apparent; however, rescue effects from the mainstem largely determined the species richness of a given stream reach. The nested subset patterns in all stream reaches were related to several local environmental factors, and large, deep pools provided important aquatic refugia in all three systems. We suggest declines in mainstem and tributary flows will likely continue to impact local and regional fish assemblage attributes. High flow events are important for dispersal and can reset tributary fish communities for the next extinction‐driven, successional cycle.     

Fish species redundancy in estuaries: A major conservation concern in temperate estuaries under global change pressures

1. Fish assemblages in estuaries have a much lower species richness (number of taxa) when compared with the combined numbers of freshwater and marine species from adjacent aquatic ecosystems. This is primarily because of the relatively harsh and fluctuating physico-chemical conditions in estuaries compared with the more stable freshwater and marine environments.
2. A comprehensive fish survey of estuaries in South Africa is used as a basis to determine fish species richness in subtropical, warm temperate, and cool temperate systems along the coast, and to assess the degree of redundancy in the different biogeographic regions.
3. In general, only one or two species belonging to each of the detritivorous, piscivorous, zoobenthivorous, and zooplanktivorous fish guilds are numerically well represented in the larger cool temperate estuaries, but between four and 10 species in each of these guilds are usually recorded in the larger subtropical estuaries.
4. Although the overall low redundancy of fish species groups in estuaries has already been formally recognized in the literature, this short note highlights the sensitivity of certain trophic guilds in temperate South African estuaries to any form of redundancy, a characteristic that may be equally applicable, based on declining species richness with increasing latitude, to temperate estuaries in other parts of the world.

     

Implications of spatial variability of fish assemblages for monitoring of Australia's tropical estuaries

1. Although often seen as ideal targets for monitoring environmental change because of their high public profile, fish assemblages rarely appear as indicators in monitoring and reporting. 2. Published data were evaluated to develop a simple approach to quantifying the temporal consistency in assemblage structure suitable for routine monitoring and assessment. Data were examined as catch per unit effort (CPUE) and probability of encounter (PoE), and compared using three approaches with the potential to produce simple indices quantifying the patterns of similarity within an estuary over time: species richness, Bray‐Curtis Similarities and a new approach, DeltaPoE. Indices derived from published data were then tested against a time series of data from two estuarine lakes with a history of fish kills. 3. Multidimensional scaling based on PoE emphasizes the temporal consistency of fish assemblages within estuaries at least as well as one based on mean CPUE while providing operational advantages. Similarities based on PoE were more sensitive to change from ‘natural’ assemblage structure than the simpler indices and showed comparable results with Similarities from (log) CPUE data. The one drawback to Similarities is that their complex statistical formulation often makes them less effective vehicles for reporting and communication. Where this is the case the conceptual simplicity of DeltaPoE and its performance relative to Similarities suggests it is a good candidate from which to develop monitoring indices suitable for routine reporting. 4. The performance of each of the indices were considered against the known fish kills. Species richness tracked the observed changes, an expected outcome in this case because a major impact directly removed species. Both indices based on Similarities also tracked the changes faithfully. Of the two, Similarities based on PoE seemed to react more strongly to assemblage changes. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Spatial distribution patterns of fish egg and larval assemblages in the lower reach of the Yangtze River: Potential implications for conservation and management

1. River fish diversity is threatened by anthropogenic environmental alteration to landscapes. The early life-history stages of fish play an important role in maintaining diversity and population recruitment and can be heavily influenced by landscape patterns. Information on temporal and spatial distribution patterns of fish eggs and larvae is also important for biodiversity conservation and management of fish resources.
2. The Yangtze River possesses a high diversity of fishes, including many commercially important species. The economy along the lower reach of the river is well developed, and most of the area is experiencing high pressure from human impacts. This section of the Yangtze River connects with the largest freshwater lake in China at the upstream end and flows into the estuary at the downstream end. These two landscape features are likely to have a significant impact upon the spatial distributions of fish egg and larval assemblages.
3. Environmental variables, fish eggs, and larval assemblages were sampled in three locations, at Hukou, Anqing, and Jingjiang, in the lower reach of the Yangtze River. The results suggest that the higher number of species and greater abundance in upstream sites reflect the critical function of connectivity of Poyang Lake with the river for fish recruitment in the lower Yangtze. The delayed bloom of larval fish, occurrence of estuarine species, and a lower species number and abundance of freshwater fish downstream reflect the influence of tidal intrusion from the estuary.
4. This study highlights the value of maintaining natural river–lakes connectivity in the Yangtze River as a conservation measure. The connected river–lake system should be designated as a priority area for fish resource protection in the lower reach of the Yangtze River. We recommend further measures to break down barriers between the river and other lakes and to restore the natural lateral connectivity of the floodplain ecosystem.

     

Influence of intertidal seascape on the functional structure of fish assemblages: Implications for habitat conservation in estuarine ecosystems

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Hydrological connectivity in coastal inland systems: lessons from a Neotropical fish metacommunity

de Macedo-Soares PHM, Petry AC, Farjalla VF, Caramaschi EP. Hydrological connectivity in coastal inland systems: lessons from a Neotropical fish metacommunity.
Ecology of Freshwater Fish 2010: 19: 7–18. © 2009 John Wiley & Sons A/S
Abstract –  We assessed the influence of hydrological connectivity in structuring fish communities through seasonal samplings of environmental variables and fishes in a coastal lagoon and associated pools in the Restinga de Jurubatiba National Park, Brazil. Community structure attributes such as species richness, numerical density and biomass, Shannon–Wiener diversity index and evenness were compared between periods of the lowest and highest hydrological connectivity, while the environmental gradient and fish zonation were explored through ordination techniques. The greater hydrological connectivity established in the rainy season promoted the homogenisation of most environmental variables and fish species, which differed markedly from the arrangement observed in the dry season. Despite variation in fish species composition, community attributes showed non-significant differences between the dry and rainy seasons. The patterns of composition and numerical density in pools were strongly influenced by local factors, especially salinity, dissolved oxygen, total phosphorous concentration and water colour in the dry season, in addition to total nitrogen concentration and depth in the rainy season. Comparable to the role played by flood pulses in river-floodplain systems, the hydrological connectivity in these tropical coastal waterbodies seems to strongly influence fish community structure, and, therefore to determine regional biodiversity.     

山东琵琶岛海域人工鱼礁区鱼类群落物种及功能多样性

为了解山东琵琶岛海域人工鱼礁区鱼类群落物种及功能多样性的时空变化特征, 于 2020 年 7 月—2021 年 4 月在富瀚国家级海洋牧场示范区开展 4 个季度的渔业资源和环境因子调查, 采用物种多样性指数和基于 12 个功能性状的功能多样性指数分析了鱼类群落多样性的时空变化及其与环境因子的关系。结果表明, 鱼礁区鱼类物种和功能多样性指数均呈现显著的季节变化, 而对照区仅功能多样性指数呈现显著的季节变化; Pielou 均匀度指数、 Simpson 多样性指数、功能均匀度指数和功能离散度指数在空间上存在显著差异; Spearman 相关性分析结果显示, 功能丰富度与物种数和 Margalef 丰富度具有显著相关关系, 功能均匀度与物种数和 Pielou 均匀度具有显著相关关系; 群落特征加权平均数指数(CWM)表明, 鱼类群落优势性状组成呈现一定的时空变化特征; 冗余分析结果显示, 透明度和无机氮对物种多样性指数具有显著影响, 而酸碱度、无机氮、溶解氧和透明度则对功能多样性指数影响显著。以上结果说明, 鱼类群落物种和功能多样性具有明显的时空变化特征, 但变化趋势不一致, 表明物种和功能多样性指数在解释鱼类群落差异时存在一定的互补性。     

Integrating freshwater wetland science into planning for Great Barrier Reef sustainability

1. The paper ‘Biodiversity values of remnant freshwater floodplain lagoons in agricultural catchments: evidence for fish of the Wet Tropics bioregion, northern Australia’, published in Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems in 2015, has contributed in several ways to the integration of freshwater wetland science within new catchment management policies and practices for Great Barrier Reef (GBR) sustainability.
2. The Tully–Murray biodiversity study developed novel protocols to sample larval, juvenile, and adult fish life‐history stages in floodplain lagoons using a combination of boat‐based backpack electrofishing and fyke netting. In addition, hydrological and hydrodynamic models were applied in a completely new way to quantify the timing, extent, and duration of water connectivity across floodplain streams, cane drains, and wetlands. Combining the two novel approaches enabled an analysis of lagoon fish assemblage patterns in relation to environmental gradients, especially floodplain hydrology, connectivity patterns, and measures related to agricultural land use.
3. In demonstrating the importance of different levels of connectivity for different biodiversity outcomes in freshwater floodplain lagoons of the Tully–Murray catchment, the subject paper established that floodplain connectivity needs to be taken into consideration in wetland management practices.
4. The timing of the subject publication was fortuitous. It coincided with the preparation of the evidence‐based 2017 Scientific Consensus Statement on land‐based water quality impacts on the GBR. As one of the few freshwater wetland ecology publications for the catchments of the GBR at that time, this paper played an important role in demonstrating freshwater wetland values, fish conservation options, and management imperatives to sustain wetland ecological health and services in GBR catchments.
5. By advancing the understanding of factors driving biodiversity patterns, and the importance of connectivity and ecohydrological processes in freshwater floodplain wetlands of the GBR catchment, the Tully–Murray study helped to drive new policy directives for the protection and restoration of catchment, floodplain, and estuary functions, and connectivity, now embedded in the Reef 2050 Long‐Term Sustainability Plan 2018, an overarching strategy for managing the GBR over the next 35 years, and complementary Queensland environmental legislation.