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Validation of the Fish Community Index of Estuarine Condition and development of a monitoring regime for the Swan-Canning Riverpark
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Validation of the Fish Community Index of Estuarine Condition and development of a monitoring regime for the Swan-Canning Riverpark

C.S. Hallett and F.J. Valesini
Centre for Fish, Fisheries and Aquatic Ecosystems Research, Murdoch University
2012
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Abstract

Fish Community Indices were developed for the nearshore, shallow waters of the Swan-Canning estuary and also for its deeper, offshore waters. They integrate information on various biological variables (metrics), each of which quantifies an aspect of the structure and/or function of estuarine fish communities and responds to a wide array of stressors affecting the ecosystem. Given the well-known responses of these fauna to environmental stressors, these fish-based indices therefore provide a means to assess an important component of the ecology of the system and how it responds to changes in estuarine condition. The present report describes a follow-up study which aimed to validate index sensitivity and robustness and to develop a monitoring regime to enable the condition of the Swan-Canning Estuary to be reliably quantified and reported into the future. The scope of this report was extended in 2012 to include a review of alternative approaches for determining estuarine condition grades/categories.

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