Big floods promote fish diversity on Fitzroy River floodplain

by the University of Western Australia
November 26, 2025

New research has revealed the critical role of river-floodplain connectivity in sustaining fish species diversity on the floodplain of the Martuwarra Fitzroy River in the Kimberley region of Western Australia.

The study published today in the journal Ecological Applications found that pools on the river’s floodplain which connected to the river during the wet season contained more species of fish, especially pools that connected for longer. Pools that held water through the previous dry season also supported twice as many species as those that dried out.

Lead author on the National Environmental Science Program (NESP) Resilient Landscapes Hub project, Research Associate Oliver Pratt from The University of Western Australia, emphasised that understanding how both wet and dry-season hydrology shape fish communities was vital to preserving floodplain diversity.

“Understanding the mechanisms that support floodplain biodiversity is essential for maintaining a healthy and resilient river system,” Dr Pratt said.

Keep reading: https://www.uwa.edu.au/news/article/2025/november/big-floods-promote-fish-diversity-on-fitzroy-river-floodplain

Read the Ecological Applications paper: https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/eap.70155