B.Sc (Hons) UNSW
Contact details for Mr Derrick Cruz derrickoscarcruz@yahoo.com
Thesis
The role of ephemeral floodplain habitats in the recruitment and survival of juvenile and small bodied arid-zone fish.
Description
It is clear that Australian native fish benefit from flow events, however there is a real need for improved understanding of the mechanics that link river flows, flooding, fish spawning, growth and recruitment success. The aim of my research is to address existing knowledge gaps by documenting fish use of floodplain habitats in semi-arid rivers along four major lines of inquiry: fish habitat use on floodplains; patterns and timing of fish recruitment during flood events; rates of fish growth on floodplains relative to main channels; and vulnerability of juvenile native fish to predation by invasive fish in floodplains habitats. My project will advance the knowledge of recruitment dynamics in variable environments and help guide the future delivery of environmental flows in arid-zone rivers to support native fish populations.Supervisor
- Professor Angela Arthington
Research Expertise
- Fish recruitment
- Floodplain habitats
- Invasive fish species