Assessment of the vertical distribution of larval lake sturgeon drift in the Peshtigo River, Wisconsin, USA

Caroffino, David C.; Sutton, Trent M.; Daugherty, Daniel J.

doi:10.1111/j.1439-0426.2009.01295.x

Cited by 16 publications

(30 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…Though efforts and subsequent recoveries have been variable (Caroffino et al 2009a), stocking programs (Chalupnicki et al 2011), dam removal (Dieterman et al 2010), and habitat improvements (Roseman et al 2011) have all led to population improvements. Further, in at least one case a population appears to be recovering naturally (Bauman et al 2011).…”

Section: The Declinementioning

confidence: 99%

Review of a species in peril: what we do not know about lake sturgeon may kill them

et al. 2015

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Lake sturgeon are arguably the largest and most unique freshwater fish in North America. Unfortunately their uniqueness includes many characteristics that make them especially vulnerable to anthropogenic impacts including overfishing, habitat fragmentation, and degradation. For approximately 100 years lake sturgeon populations across North America have either been in decline and (or) have experienced a sluggish recovery. While this is partly due to lake sturgeon life history, most researchers agree that habitat fragmentation and degradation are currently the highest risk to the species. Though most lake sturgeon populations are depressed, there are a few exceptions that offer a glimpse into what a stable population or recovery may look like. The following review highlights such instances as well as what is known and more importantly what is not known about this unique species. Specifically, we highlight the need for improved and organized sharing of raw data given the fact that many researchers do not have access to the plethora of information available to others (e.g., otoliths for aging). We examine the varying life history and diet choices of this plastic species offering hypotheses for differences in migration routes and distances as well the differing recovery rates found across their range. We highlight myths about the species providing evidence that they may not be as long lived and fecund as previously thought. We examine the lake sturgeon's current legal status across North America including the efforts of nonprofit groups that have had success in increasing population numbers. Most importantly, we highlight logistical problems faced by researchers and data gaps in the literature that must be filled to increase the odds of a successful recovery. Alongside the data gaps, the recovery of this species is fraught with political and industrial road blocks that are as varied as its current recovery. Subsequently, as is the case with many species, its survival will come down to solid scientific knowledge and the value placed on it by society.Résumé : L'esturgeon de lac constitue sans aucun doute l'unique et plus gros poisson d'eau douce en Amérique du Nord. Malheureusement, son unicité inclut plusieurs caractéristiques le rendant vulnérable aux impacts anthropogènes, incluant la surpêche ainsi que la fragmentation de l'habitat et sa dégradation. Pendant environ 100 ans, les populations d'esturgeon de lac sur l'ensemble de l'Amérique du Nord ont connu un déclin et/ou une lente récupération. Alors que ceci est dû en partie au cycle vital de l'esturgeon, la plupart des recherches s'accordent pour dire que la fragmentation de l'habitat et sa dégradation constituent présentement le plus fort risque pour cette espèce. Bien que la plupart des populations d'esturgeon de lac soient déprimées, il existe quelques exceptions offrant une idée de ce que représente une population stable ou en récupération. Cette revue souligne de tels cas ainsi que ce que l'on connaît au sujet de cette espèce unique. Spécifiquement, les auteu...

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Section: The Declinementioning

confidence: 99%

Review of a species in peril: what we do not know about lake sturgeon may kill them

et al. 2015

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“…This may be a function of flow as the current downstream of a dam is not as dispersed as in a natural river, but turbulence flows with high velocity emanating from turbines or sluice gates. Drifting larvae are surface‐oriented (Caroffino, Daugherty, & Sutton, ; Caroffino et al., ; Verdon et al., ) and could be flushed out of turbulent flows and settle within the first pool (i.e., close to the dam). An alternate theory could be related to the timing of drift associated with the operation of the hydroelectric facility.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dynamics of Lake Sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescensRafinesque, 1817) in a ‘pristine’ river

Haxton

Friday²,

Gillespie³

2017

J Appl Ichthyol

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Summary Lake Sturgeon, Acipenser fulvescens, was assessed in a large, pristine river in northern Canada using a standardized protocol. Gill netting (38‐127 mm and 204‐306 mm stretched mesh) was conducted at five sites averaging 37 rkm in the Attawapiskat River in Ontario. The objectives were to ascertain relative abundance of Lake Sturgeon within a northern river; determine if Lake Sturgeon are randomly distributed within a ‘pristine’ river; assess if there is evidence of spatial structuring; and determine if there is genetic structuring within the river. Over the two years (2015 and 2016), 176 Lake Sturgeon were sampled with a mean total length of 851.1 mm (323.4 SD) and mean age of 21 years (12.2 SD). There was a significant difference in the mean total length of the Lake Sturgeon caught, with larger sturgeon in the upstream sites and smaller sturgeon in the downstream sites, signifying a spatial segregation of life stages within the Attawapiskat River. One hundred and fifty‐four Lake Sturgeon were genotyped at 10 or more loci. There was no evidence of genetic divergence among sites or population structuring. In fact, parent‐offspring relationships were determined using COLONY between upstream and downstream sites, a minimum distance of approximately 190 rkm. This study represents the first to assess a Lake Sturgeon population systematically using a standardized index approach at multiple sites in a ‘pristine’ river. It demonstrated the importance of a holistic approach to the river at a larger scale and a better understanding of life history requirements for conservation. For example, if only one of the upper sites were assessed, it might have been interpreted as the idyllic ‘old growth’ population with limited or no recruitment. The corollary from sampling only lower sites would be identifying a lack of adults and potentially erroneously declaring an overexploitation concern. This stresses the importance of a larger scale approach for assessing ‘pristine’ rivers and not using a small scale approach to make large scale inferences.

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“…Although it is often assumed that sampling just off the bottom at night results in the collection of most of the drifting larvae (Auer and Baker, ), most studies have shown that vertical distribution of larval lake sturgeon varies with the time of day and location. In the Peshtigo River, larvae were captured drifting throughout the water column, but were found nearer to the surface than the bottom (Caroffino et al., ). The authors conclude that sampling only a portion of the water column may preclude the capture of a significant percentage of drifting larvae.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessment of spatio-temporal variation in larval abundance of lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens ) in the Rupert River (Quebec, Canada), using drift nets

et al. 2012

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Summary The Rupert River is one of the largest tributaries on the east coast of James Bay. Lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) is present all along the main stem where several spawning grounds have been located, four of which are major spawning grounds that have been studied at km 216, 281, 290 and 362. The total number of drifting larvae was estimated with drift nets set along transverse transects at km 212, 276, and km 287 from 2007 to 2009, and at km 361 in 2008 and 2009, using a new technique, namely, a Doppler current meter to measure water velocity within transect sub‐sections corresponding to Voronoï polygons. There was a substantial, persistent difference in the number of larvae produced by the four main spawning areas. On average, the most productive site (km 276) produced over five times more larvae than the least productive site (km 361). Average estimated numbers were 41,194 at km 212, 176,840 at km 276, 106,212 at km 287, and 30,642 at km 361. Temporal variations were of much less amplitude than spatial differences. Between 2007 and 2009, interannual variations were not significant, except at km 212, despite differences in river flow during incubation and larval drift. The number of gravid females and the quality of spawning grounds would likely be the main factors influencing the total number of larvae. Vertical distribution of larvae is variable between sites and years, and shows a slight tendency for larvae to be more surface oriented. Higher flow near the surface would partly explain larger surface drifting of larvae. Transverse distribution is uneven and often associated with the location of the spawning grounds and the river flow. Given the uneven vertical and transverse distribution of larvae, an effective sampling strategy should cover the complete water column and full river width. Where depth exceeds 3 m, at least two stacked nets are recommended. In large rivers, filtering close to 1% of total river flow should result in acceptable confidence intervals, allowing a good comparison of the number of larvae in space and time.

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Assessment of the vertical distribution of larval lake sturgeon drift in the Peshtigo River, Wisconsin, USA

Cited by 16 publications

References 12 publications

Review of a species in peril: what we do not know about lake sturgeon may kill them

Review of a species in peril: what we do not know about lake sturgeon may kill them

Dynamics of Lake Sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescensRafinesque, 1817) in a ‘pristine’ river

Assessment of spatio-temporal variation in larval abundance of lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens ) in the Rupert River (Quebec, Canada), using drift nets

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