Degradation of instream habitats in the northern Murray–Darling Basin has occurred through numerous stressors, including siltation, clearing of bankside vegetation, intrusion of livestock and impacts of pest species. A better understanding of habitat preferences of native fish species could help guide future instream habitat restoration actions. The habitat choices of seven native fish species, juvenile Murray Cod (Maccullochella peelii), juvenile Golden Perch (Macquaria ambigua ambigua), juvenile Silver Perch (Bidyanus bidyanus), adult Murray–Darling Rainbowfish (Melanotaenia fluviatilis), adult Olive Perchlet (Ambassis agassizii), adult Un‐specked Hardyhead (Craterocephalus stercusmuscarum fulvus) and adult carp gudgeons (Hypseleotris spp.) were tested in preference troughs to help inform potential habitat restoration actions in the Condamine catchment. Each species was given a choice between pair combinations of open sandy habitat, submerged macrophytes, emergent plants and rocky rubble. Habitat preferences varied between species. Murray Cod, Golden Perch, carp gudgeons and Olive Perchlets preferred structure over open sandy habitat, whilst juvenile Silver Perch, Un‐specked Hardyhead and Murray–Darling Rainbowfish did not avoid open sandy habitats. Juvenile Murray Cod preferred rocky rubble habitat over all other habitat choices. Use of complex rock piles to provide nursery habitat for Murray Cod populations is a potential restoration option. Introduction of rock could also benefit Golden Perch and carp gudgeons. Use of emergent plants, submerged macrophytes and rocky rubble for habitat restoration all appear to have merit for one or more species of small‐bodied fishes or juvenile stages of larger sized fishes. Rocky rubble or floating attached macrophytes could be viable restoration options in areas too turbid to establish submerged macrophytes. These habitat interventions would complement existing actions such as re‐snagging and provision of fish passage to assist with sustainable management of native fish populations.

中文翻译：

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默里-达令盆地北部小鱼和幼鱼的生境偏好和生境恢复选择

穆雷-达令盆地北部流域生境的退化是通过多种压力因素发生的，包括淤积，河岸植被的清除，牲畜的入侵和虫害的影响。更好地了解本地鱼类的生境偏好可以帮助指导未来的河内生境恢复行动。七种本土鱼类的栖息地选择，少年穆雷COD（Maccullochella peelii），幼年黄金鲈（Macquaria ambigua ambigua），幼年银鲈（鲈鲈），成人墨累-达令彩虹鱼（Melanotaenia fluviatilis），成人橄榄Perchlet（Ambassis agassizii），成年未拣选的Hardyhead（在优选的水槽中对Craterocephalus stercusmuscarum fulvus和成年鲤鱼的抽柄（Hypseleotris spp 。）进行了测试，以帮助了解Condamine流域潜在的生境恢复行动。在开放的沙质生境，淹没的大型植物，出苗的植物和岩石碎石的成对组合中选择每种物种。栖息地的偏好在物种之间有所不同。穆雷鳕鱼，金鲈，鲤鱼长柄鱼和橄榄鲈比空旷的沙质生境更偏爱结构，而幼年的银鲈，未拣选的哈代黑德和墨累–达令彩虹鱼则不能避免空旷的沙质生境。幼稚的墨累鳕鱼比其他所有栖息地都更喜欢岩石瓦砾栖息地。使用复杂的岩堆为默里鳕鱼种群提供苗圃栖息地是一种潜在的恢复选择。引入岩石也可能有益于金鲈和鲤鱼g。使用出苗植物，淹没的大型植物和岩石瓦砾来恢复生境似乎都对一种或多种小体鱼或大型鱼的幼年期有利。在太混浊而无法建立淹没大型植物的地区，岩石碎石或漂浮的附着大型植物可能是可行的恢复选择。这些栖息地干预措施将补充现有行动，例如重新re捕和提供鱼类通过，以协助对本地鱼类种群进行可持续管理。