Abstract
Magela Creek is located in the monsoonal area of northern Australia. This paper describes the physico-chemical and biological characteristics of the 250 km2 of the Magela floodplain.
During the wet season the floodplain is covered with water that is neutral to acidic, very soft and has low ionic concentrations. The velocity of the flood-front and the duration of the dry season greatly affect the physico-chemical status of the water. Surface water temperatures can reach 37° and the general stratification pattern is classical polymixis.
The phytoplankton community is very diverse with more than 160 diatom taxa and 530 taxa from other groups. Chlorophyll values were not generally high except during blooms. The macrophytic flora was also diverse with 225 species, 139 of them being annuals. The floristic composition and foliage cover of the 10 main macrophyte communities varied seasonally; the abundance and floristic richness of the wet season contrasting with the sparse cover of the dry season.
The vertebrate and invertebrate flora were also diverse. The invertebrates demonstrated vast temporal and spatial differences in species abundance. Species diversity was greatest during the wet season. Similarly, the distribution and habitat selection and abundance of the fishes and amphibia were influenced by the occurrence of floodwaters during the wet season. The water birds were also numerous and diverse. Their usage of the floodplain varied seasonally with about 200,000 occurring during the dry season when food resources were scarce elsewhere.
Stimulation for this documentation came from proposals to discharge excess water from a uranium mine to Magela Creek. The biological documentation was one step in the process of determining standards and protocols to govern any releases of water. The assessment of any impact from the mining operation on the floodplain was complicated by changes brought about by other activities in the area. Control of feral animals and occurrence of aggressive alien plant species are two such activities.
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Finlayson, C.M., Cowie, I.D., Bailey, B.J. (1990). Characteristics of a Seasonally Flooded Freshwater System in Monsoonal Australia. In: Whigham, D.F., Good, R.E., Kvet, J. (eds) Wetland Ecology and Management: Case Studies. Tasks for vegetation science, vol 25. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-2115-3_18
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-2115-3_18
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