Simulating mechanisms for dispersal, production and stranding of small forage fish in temporary wetland habitats

► We simulate small fish movement strategies into temporary wetland habitats. ► Expansion and contraction of flooded areas create concentrations of stranded fish. ► Stranding of fish biomass is a mechanism for making prey available to predators. ► Strategy for escaping drying areas had greatest effect on biomass response variables. ► Realistic landscape scenario estimates real spatiotemporal biomass distributions.