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Stephen Beatty

Research interests

Key areas of research focus on the biology and ecology of native and introduced crayfishes.

My PhD, completed in 2005, was entitled Translocations of freshwater crayfish: contributions from life histories, trophic relations and diseases of three species in Western Australia. It included an examination of the reproductive and population biology of the recreationally important Marron (Cherax cainii) in aquatic systems in W.A. A key finding was that considerable plasticity existed in its biology that had considerable implications for management of the fishery (such as the minimum legal length).
The biology of a sympatric population of the introduced Yabbie Cherax destructor was also described and an assessment of the role that its life-history has had on its rapid expansion into wild aquatic systems of the south-west was undertaken. To further understand these interactions, a stable isotope study was undertaken to determine the ecological roles and degree of resource overlap of established populations of Marron and Yabbies which revealed that the roles of the species periodically overlapped. The study also highlighted the ability of crayfish to act as keystone aquatic species.
The reproductive and population biology of an amazing little endemic crayfish the Gilgie Cherax quinquecarinatus was described from an urban stream and discovered a life-history strategy that would enable it to occupy a wide range of temporary and permanent aquatic systems in south-western W.A. Other research in the thesis included examination of microsporidian diseases from sympatric populations of Marron and Yabbies.
I am currently involved in the FRDC (2003/027) which is examining causes of the decline of recreational Marron fishery. This includes reviewing the plasticity of the biology of the species to ensure appropriate management regulations are put in place. It also is assessing the influence that environmental variables (such as rainfall and river flow) has on the fishery to develop better predictive models for future recreational catches that will allow more adaptive management of the fishery.
As part of the CFFR freshwater team, I have also conducted a wide range of research into the key issues relating to the conservation of native freshwater fishes, such as the construction and monitoring of the major fishways in W.A.

Refereed publications

Beatty, S.J. 2006. The diet and trophic positions of translocated, sympatric populations of Cherax destructor and Cherax cainii in the Hutt River, Western Australia: evidence of resource overlap. Marine and Freshwater Research 57: 825-835. http://www.publish.csiro.au/nid/126/paper/MF05221.htm

Beatty, S.J., Morgan, D.L. and Gill, H.S. 2005. Life history and reproductive biology of the gilgie Cherax quinquecarinatus, a freshwater crayfish endemic to south-western Australia. Journal of Crustacean Biology 25(2): 251-262.

Beatty, S.J., Morgan, D.L. and Gill, H.S. 2005. Role of life history strategy in the colonisation of Western Australian aquatic systems by the introduced crayfish Cherax destructor Clark, 1936. Hydrobiologia 549:219-237.

Beatty, S.J., Morgan, D.L. and Gill, H.S. 2004. Biology of a translocated population of the large freshwater crayfish, Cherax cainii (Austin and Ryan, 2002) in a Western Australian river. Crustaceana 77(11): 1329-1351.

Beatty, S.J., Morgan, D.L. and Gill, H.S. 2003. Reproductive biology of the large freshwater crayfish Cherax cainii in south-western Australia. Marine and Freshwater Research 54: 597-608.

Beatty, S., Molony, B., Rhodes, M. and Morgan, D. 2003. A methodology to mitigate the negative impacts of dam refurbishment on fish and crayfish values in a south-western Australian reservoir. Ecological Management and Restoration 4: 147-149.

Chapman, A., Morgan, D., Beatty, S. and Gill, H. 2006. Variation in life history of land-locked lacustrine and riverine populations of Galaxias maculatus (Jenyns 1842) in Western Australia. Environmental Biology of Fishes 77: 21-37.

Morgan, D.L. and Beatty, S.J. 2006. Use of a vertical-slot fishway by galaxiids in Western Australia. Ecology of Freshwater Fish 15: 500-509.

Morgan, D.L., Chapman, A., Beatty, S.J. and Gill, H.S. 2006. Distribution of the spotted minnow (Galaxias maculatus (Jenyns, 1842)) (Teleostei: Galaxiidae) in Western Australia including range extensions and sympatric species. Records of the Western Australian Museum 23: 7-11.

Morgan, D.L., Chapman, A., Beatty, S.J. and Gill, H.S. 2005. Distribution of Galaxias maculatus (Teleostei: Galaxiidae) in Western Australia. Records of the Western Australian Museum 23: 7-11.

Morgan, D.L., Gill, H.S., Maddern, M.G. and Beatty, S.J. 2004. Distribution and impacts of introduced freshwater fishes in Western Australia. New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 38: 511-523. (12mb pdf)

Morgan, D.L., Hambleton, S.J., Gill, H.S. and Beatty, S.J. 2002. Distribution, biology and likely impacts of the introduced redfin perch (Perca fluviatilis) (Percidae) in Western Australia. Marine and Freshwater Research 53: 1211-1221.

Submitted papers under review

Molony, B.M., Beatty, S.J., Bird, C. and Nguyen, V. Submitted. Which species of recreationally important species of introduced predatory fish has the biggest impact on the recreationally important crayfish, Cherax tenuimanus (Smith, 1912)?: a preliminary investigation. Freshwater Biology.

Torre, A., Morgan, D.L. and Beatty, S.J. Submitted. Fish passage - What's happening in Western Australia? 4th Australian Technical Workshop on Fishways, Conference Proceedings, Kununurra, Western Australia, 2005.

Other refereed publications

Beatty, S. and Morgan, D. 2002. Simple fishways. Water and Rivers Commission and Department of Fisheries Water Notes For Rivers Management WN26.

Refereed reports

Beatty, S. and Morgan, D. 2006. Management of aquatic fauna during the refurbishment of Phillips Creek Reservoir. Report to the Water Corporation of W.A.

Beatty S.J. and Morgan D.L. 2005. Monitoring the adequacy of Environmental Water Provisions for fish and crayfish communities of Samson Brook, Harvey River and Harris River. Report to the Water Corporation W.A.

Beatty, S. and Morgan, D. 2004. Assessing the requirement for fishways on Gingin Brook. Report to the Gingin Land Conservation District Committee.

Beatty, S. and Morgan, D. 2000. The polyculture of western pygmy perch Edelia vittata with marron Cherax tenuimanus at the ALCOA Willowdale marron farm. Report to ALCOA, Australia.

Beatty, S., Morgan, D. and Gill, H. 2003. Fish resource survey of Churchman Brook Reservoir. Report to the Water Corporation of Western Australia.

Beatty, S., Morgan, D. and Gill, H. 2003. Fish resource survey of Phillips Creek Reservoir. Report to the Water Corporation of Western Australia.

Beatty, S., Morgan, D. and Tae, M. 2006. Management of aquatic fauna during the refurbishment of Churchman Brook Reservoir. Report to the Water Corporation of W.A.

Molony, B., Beatty, S. and Morgan, D. 2003. Fish survey of Bottle Creek Reservoir. Report to the Water Corporation of Western Australia.

Molony, B., Beatty, S., Bird, C. and Nguyen, V. 2005. Mitigation of the negative impacts on biodiversity and fisheries values of the refurbishment of Waroona Dam, south-western Australia. Report to the Water Corporation of Western Australia. Fisheries Research Contract Report No. 12.

Morgan, D. and Beatty, S. 2006. Survey of the fish and freshwater crayfish communities of the Brunswick and Preston rivers. Report to the Leschenault Catchment Council.

Morgan, D. and Beatty, S. 2005. Fish and crayfish fauna of Ellen Brook, Cowaramup Brook and Gunyulgup Brook in the Cape to Cape Region of Western Australia. Report to Ribbons of Blue/Waterwatch WA.

Morgan, D. and Beatty, S. 2005. The Goodga River Fishway - two years of monitoring the Western Australian trout minnow (Galaxias truttaceus). Report to the Department of Fisheries Western Australia.

Morgan, D. and Beatty, S. 2005. Control of feral Goldfish (Carassius auratus) in the Vasse River. Report to the Vasse-Wonnerup LCDC.

Morgan, D.L. and Beatty, S.J. 2005. Baseline study on the fish and freshwater crayfish fauna in the Blackwood River and its tributaries receiving discharge from the Yarragadee Aquifer. Report to the Department of Environment, Government of Western Australia.

Morgan, D. and Beatty, S. 2004. Fish utilisation of the Goodga River Fishway conserving the Western Australian trout minnow (Galaxias truttaceus). Report to Fisheries Western Australia.

Morgan, D. and Beatty, S. 2004. The aquatic macrofauna of Pinwernying Dam (Katanning). Report to the Water Corporation of Western Australia.

Morgan, D. and Beatty, S. 2004. Margaret River Fishway. Report to the Margaret River Regional Environment Centre.

Morgan, D. and Beatty, S. 2004. Monitoring the Lion’s Weir Fishway Hotham River, Western Australia. Report to the Department of Environment, Government of Western Australia.

Morgan, D. and Beatty, S. 2004. Fish fauna of the Vasse River and the colonisation by feral goldfish (Carassius auratus). Report to the Department of Environment, Government of Western Australia.

Morgan, D. and Beatty, S. 2003. Fish fauna of the Hotham River (including the impact of the Lion’s Weir on fish migration). Report to the Water and Rivers Commission of Western Australia and Boddington Rivers Action Group.

Morgan, D. and Beatty, S. 2003. Fish and decapod fauna of Bancell Brook (Harvey River) and the impacts of irrigation slot boards on migrations. Report to the Southern Peel Partnership Landcare Group.

Morgan, D. and Beatty, S. 2003. Fish fauna of Margaret River Western Australia. Report to the Margaret River Regional Environment Centre.

Morgan, D. and Beatty, S. 2003. Freshwater fishes of the Walpole River and impact of the weir to fish and lamprey migrations. Report to Fisheries Western Australia.

Morgan, D. and Beatty, S. 2000. Breeding of western pygmy perch Edelia vittata. Report to the Department of Fisheries Western Australia.

Morgan, D., Beatty, S. and McAleer, F. 2005. The Lion’s Weir Fishway - Hotham River, Western Australia. Report to the Peel-Harvey Catchment Council.

Morgan, D., Gill, H. and Beatty, S. 2003. Fish stock enhancement of Lake Booyeembarra. Report to the Fremante City Council.

Morgan, D., Beatty, S., Gill, H., Thorburn, D. and Rowland, A. 2004. Assessment of the impact of groundwater discharge from the Yarragadee Aquifer on the fish and decapod fauna of Rosa Brook. Report to the Water Corporation of Western Australia.

Conference papers

Beatty S., Molony, B. and Morgan, D. 2002. Mitigation of negative impacts on fish and fisheries values during remedial works at Waroona Dam. Poster presentation. Conference of the Australian Society of Limnology, Margaret River, Western Australia

Beatty S., Morgan, D. and Gill, H. 2002. Reproductive biology of the marron Cherax tenuimanus (Smith, 1912), in Lake Navarino, south-western Australia. Poster presentation. Conference of the Australian Society of Limnology, Margaret River, Western Australia.

Molony, B.M., Beatty, S.J., Morgan, D.L., Gill, H.S. and Bird, C. 2004. The mitigation of the negative impacts of dam draining on fish and fisheries values at Waroona Dam, Western Australia. Australian Society for Fish Biology, Annual Meeting, Adelaide, South Australia.

Morgan, D., Gill, H., Maddern, M. and Beatty, S. 2003. Introduced fishes in Western Australia. Australian Society for Fish Biology, Annual Meeting, Wellington, New Zealand.

Torre, A., Morgan, D.L. and Beatty, S.J. 2005. Fish passage - What’s happening in Western Australia? 4th Australian Technical Workshop on Fishways Conference Proceedings, Kununurra, Western Australia, 2005.