Effects of a gradient in river regulation on the longitudinal trends in water quality and benthic algal and macroinvertebrate assemblages in the Hunter River, Australia

Cortez, DP; Growns, IO; Mitrovic, SM; Lim, RP

Effects of a gradient in river regulation on the longitudinal trends in water quality and benthic algal and macroinvertebrate assemblages in the Hunter River, Australia

Cortez, DP

Growns, IO Mitrovic, SM

Lim, RP

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Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Marine and Freshwater Research, 2012, 63 (6), pp. 494 - 504
Issue Date:: 2012-06-25

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Cortez, DP https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9314-2977	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Growns, IO	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Mitrovic, SM https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5528-2215	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Lim, RP	en_US
dc.date.issued	2012-06-25	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	Marine and Freshwater Research, 2012, 63 (6), pp. 494 - 504	en_US
dc.identifier.issn	1323-1650	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/22138
dc.description.abstract	River regulation impacts lotic ecosystem processes; however, the effect of a gradient of regulation on these attributes has rarely been studied. This study examined the effects of a river regulation gradient on longitudinal trends in water quality and benthic algal and macroinvertebrate assemblages in three tributaries of the Hunter River, New South Wales, Australia. Longitudinal patterns were expected to differ across rivers, with recovery being proportional to its regulation gradient. Significant differences in longitudinal trends were tested using permutational multivariate analysis of variance (PERMANOVA) through exploration of the river by distance from source interaction. Multi-dimensional scaling (MDS) ordination plots identified sites responsible for any significant interaction observed. Similarity percentage analysis (SIMPER) analyses identified variables/taxa responsible for differences at sites below dams. BEST analyses identified environmental variables best explaining biological assemblage patterns. Significant differences in longitudinal trends were observed for all attributes. Increases in the regulation gradient most affected macroinvertebrate assemblages, followed by water quality and benthic algal assemblages respectively. Downstream recovery was absent in the heavily regulated river at its most downstream site, whereas recovery was observed on corresponding sites of the moderately regulated river. The study suggests that a gradient in river regulation increases the magnitude of disruption of lotic ecosystems, with recovery dependent on this gradient. © 2012 CSIRO.	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	Marine and Freshwater Research	en_US
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1071/MF11210	en_US
dc.subject.classification	Marine Biology & Hydrobiology	en_US
dc.title	Effects of a gradient in river regulation on the longitudinal trends in water quality and benthic algal and macroinvertebrate assemblages in the Hunter River, Australia	en_US
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	6	en_US
utslib.citation.volume	63	en_US
utslib.for	0602 Ecology	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science/School of Life Sciences
utslib.copyright.status	closed_access
pubs.issue	6	en_US
pubs.publication-status	Published	en_US
pubs.volume	63	en_US

Abstract:

River regulation impacts lotic ecosystem processes; however, the effect of a gradient of regulation on these attributes has rarely been studied. This study examined the effects of a river regulation gradient on longitudinal trends in water quality and benthic algal and macroinvertebrate assemblages in three tributaries of the Hunter River, New South Wales, Australia. Longitudinal patterns were expected to differ across rivers, with recovery being proportional to its regulation gradient. Significant differences in longitudinal trends were tested using permutational multivariate analysis of variance (PERMANOVA) through exploration of the river by distance from source interaction. Multi-dimensional scaling (MDS) ordination plots identified sites responsible for any significant interaction observed. Similarity percentage analysis (SIMPER) analyses identified variables/taxa responsible for differences at sites below dams. BEST analyses identified environmental variables best explaining biological assemblage patterns. Significant differences in longitudinal trends were observed for all attributes. Increases in the regulation gradient most affected macroinvertebrate assemblages, followed by water quality and benthic algal assemblages respectively. Downstream recovery was absent in the heavily regulated river at its most downstream site, whereas recovery was observed on corresponding sites of the moderately regulated river. The study suggests that a gradient in river regulation increases the magnitude of disruption of lotic ecosystems, with recovery dependent on this gradient. © 2012 CSIRO.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/22138