5.5: Flow-ecology relationships for biodiversity and ecosystem processes

Leader:

Peter Davies

Abstract

Water managed and 'allocated' to the environment is commonly known as 'environmental flows'. The critical step in determining appropriate environmental flows is predicting how particular changes in river flows might affect natural ecological assets. This project will investigate the relationships between flow and several specific assets of tropical rivers.

Outcomes

The research will provide river managers with an improved understanding of relationships between flow, habitat, food resources, fish diversity and ecosystem processes. The project will also develop models and tools which evaluate the ecological consequences of flow alteration. Decision-makers, water planners and managers will then be in a better position to undertake the protection and maintenance of important ecological assets.

Where is the research happening?

This project will be undertaken initially in the Daly River (NT), and then in the Fitzroy River (WA) catchments.

Who's involved

The project will be led by Professor Peter Davies from the University of Western Australia. He is working with a range of researchers with different technical expertise from Charles Darwin University (Darwin), NT Fisheries Research Branch, Griffith University (Brisbane), Monash University (Melbourne) and the Australian National University (Canberra).