scholarly journals Lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) spawning habitat: a quantitative review

2018 ◽  
Vol 75 (6) ◽  
pp. 925-933 ◽  
Author(s):  
André-Marcel Baril ◽  
John T. Buszkiewicz ◽  
Pascale M. Biron ◽  
Quinton E. Phelps ◽  
James W.A. Grant

The loss of spawning habitat has been identified as a limiting factor to population growth for lake sturgeon, Acipenser fulvescens, the most widely distributed species of the family in North America. While local information exists about lake sturgeon spawning habitat, a synthesis of all available data is needed across its range. Our study used meta-analytical techniques to describe the mean and range of critical spawning habitat characteristics based on data from 48 sites across all major watersheds in which lake sturgeon are found. Data were compiled into univariate habitat suitability indices to describe the spawning niche. Results indicate that peak suitability occurred at depth-averaged velocities of 0.6 m·s−1, depths of 0.55–0.85 m in small rivers (<100 m3·s−1 annual average discharge) and 0.75–5.25 m in large rivers (>100 m3·s−1), over cobble substrates (64–256 mm), and that suitable water temperatures decreased with increasing latitude. This study provides a comprehensive review of critical spawning criteria from which future habitat suitability models can be adapted.

2017 ◽  
Vol 74 (7) ◽  
pp. 1000-1008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph R. Krieger ◽  
James S. Diana

We evaluated the quantity, quality, and spatial distribution of riverine nursery habitat for larval, young-of-year (YOY), and juvenile (<500 mm) lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) in the North Channel of the St. Clair River (SCR), Michigan, using habitat suitability modeling (HSM) and fish collections. This HSM was developed using georeferenced habitat information on substrates, invertebrate densities, benthic flow velocities, and water depth. High-quality habitat comprised 29.1% of the study area, primarily in river bends and other areas where water velocities were highly varied. In all, 283 larval lake sturgeon were collected, with the majority found in high-quality habitat (81%) and heavily clustered in three locations (91.2% of total catch). Substrate composition and benthic flow velocity were the best indicators of observed larval catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) patterns. Available data on captured YOY and juveniles were used to corroborate modeled habitat output and revealed strong associations between modeled habitat conditions and young lake sturgeon presence. An abundance of suitable habitat for young lake sturgeon within the North Channel of the SCR suggests that lack of suitable spawning habitat or high mortality early in life limits recruitment success in this system.


Author(s):  
M LOSKIN

Problems of providing the population and agricultural production by qualitative potable and process water in the Central Yakutia are covered. This territory belongs to the region with acute shortage of water resources which is always a limiting factor of development of agricultural production. For the solution of this burning issue in the 80th years of the last century along the small rivers the systems of hydraulic engineering constructions providing requirements with process water practically of all settlements of the Central Yakutia were constructed. At a construction of all hydraulic engineering buildings the method of construction with preservation of soils of the basis of constructions in a frozen state was applied. When warming the climate which is observed in recent years hydraulic engineering constructions built in regions of a wide spread occurance of breeds of an ice complex and with the considerable volume of water weight, were especially vulnerable. On character and a design they experience continuous threat of damage and demand very attentive relation from the operating organizations. Taking this into account, safe operation of hydraulic engineering constructions in a zone of distribution of permafrost breeds demands new approaches. The article examines features of hydraulic engineering constructions’ operation of agricultural water supply objects in the Central Yakutia. Distinctiveness of hydraulic engineering constructions’ operation is that stability of constructions is intimately bound to temperature impact of a reservoir on ground dams’ body and the basis of constructions. The possibility of inclusion of ways for an intensification of a freezing of constructions in the structure of operational actions is studied. The new method on safe operation of hydraulic engineering constructions as prewinter abatement of the water level in a reservoir accounting volumes and norms of water consumption of the settlement is offered.


Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 1419
Author(s):  
Janet Genz ◽  
Rachael Hicks

In fishes, environmental ion availability can have substantial effects on growth and development. This study examined the development of Lake Sturgeon in response to the varying environmental ion availability that they experience as part of a conservation stocking program. We reared sturgeon in natural water from the Coosa River, which had higher concentrations of Mg2+, Na+, and Zn2+ than standard hatchery conditions, while [Ca2+] at the Warm Springs National Fish Hatchery was 2× higher than in the Coosa River. Eggs were hatched in each water type and the larvae were sampled at time points before and after yolk absorption during the first 8 weeks of development. Total length and weight in WSNFH larvae were significantly higher than larvae in Coosa River water starting at 8 dph, indicating that growth was dependent on the different environmental ion levels. Concentrations of the ions of interest were also determined for whole-body acid digests of the exposed Lake Sturgeon. We found that Lake Sturgeon reared in Coosa River water had significantly higher magnesium and zinc than Lake Sturgeon reared in WSNFH water (p < 0.05), while calcium was significantly higher in WSNFH than Coosa River water. This difference shows that different environmental ion concentrations also impact the overall development of larval Lake Sturgeon.


Author(s):  
Jorge Arroyo-Esquivel ◽  
Nathan G. Marculis ◽  
Alan Hastings

AbstractOne of the main factors that determines habitat suitability for sessile and territorial organisms is the presence or absence of another competing individual in that habitat. This type of competition arises in populations occupying patches in a metacommunity. Previous studies have looked at this process using a continuous-time modeling framework, where colonizations and extinctions occur simultaneously. However, different colonization processes may be performed by different species, which may affect the metacommunity dynamics. We address this issue by developing a discrete-time framework that describes these kinds of metacommunity interactions, and we consider different colonization dynamics. To understand potential dynamics, we consider specific functional forms that characterize the colonization and extinction processes of metapopulations competing for space as their limiting factor. We then provide a mathematical analysis of the models generated by this framework, and we compare these results to what is seen in nature and in previous models.


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