DOCSLIB.ORG

Sturgeon and Paddlefish Research Focuses on Low Risk Species and Largely Disregards Endangered Species

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Sturgeon and Paddlefish Research Focuses on Low Risk Species and Largely Disregards Endangered Species Vol. 22: 95–97, 2013 ENDANGERED SPECIES RESEARCH Published online December 2 doi: 10.3354/esr00543 Endang Species Res FREEREE ACCESSCCESS FEATURE ARTICLE AS WE SEE IT Sturgeon and paddlefish research focuses on low risk species and largely disregards endangered species Jörn Gessner1,2, Ivan Jaric´ 3,*, Eric Rochard4, Mohammad Pourkazemi5 1Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Müggelseedamm 310, 12587 Berlin, Germany 2Society to Save the Sturgeon, Fischerweg 408, 18069 Rostock, Germany 3Institute for Multidisciplinary Research, University of Belgrade, Kneza Viseslava 1, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia 4IRSTEA, EPBX, 50 avenue de Verdun, 33612 Cestas, Cedex, France 5International Sturgeon Research Institute, PO Box 41635-3464, Rasht, Gilan, Iran ABSTRACT: Sturgeons and paddlefish are among the most commercially valuable groups of fishes and include both low risk and highly endangered species. However, a recent bibliometric study on sturgeon and paddlefish research revealed that disproportionately little attention has been paid to those species that are endangered or face a high probability of extinction. With the exception of European sturgeon Acipenser sturio, all of the 8 species that are highly threatened with extinction or functionally extinct, were each addressed in less than 1% of the publications dealing with sturgeons or paddlefishes. Information on the biology and sensitive life-cycle phases of threatened sturgeon and paddlefish species, as well as knowl- Tagged European sturgeon Acipenser sturio at release into edge of their interactions with their respective habi- the Elbe River system. Image: P. Freudenberg© tats, is especially deficient or lacking, thus rendering the planning and execution of protection measures even more difficult. We argue that a more stringent focus has to be placed upon conservation research and management for vulnerable species and popula- tions that are threatened with a high risk of extinc- BACKGROUND AND CURRENT SITUATION tion. This also makes it a necessity to overcome the apparent lack of commitment which has been ob - served in some regions to developing and/or imple- The order Acipenseriformes, which includes 27 menting effective and concerted regional actions species of sturgeon and paddlefish, represents the which address sturgeon and paddlefish rehabilitation. most commercially valuable and at the same time most threatened groups of fishes. Of these 27 species, 70% are currently classified by the IUCN as Endan- KEY WORDS: Sturgeon · Paddlefish · Acipenser · gered or Critically Endangered, indicating an alarm- Extinction risk · Endangered · IUCN · Bibliometric ing deterioration of status compared to earlier sur- Resale or republication not permitted without veys (IUCN 2013). written consent of the publisher *Corresponding author. Email: [email protected] © Inter-Research 2013 · www.int-res.com 96 Endang Species Res 22: 95–97, 2013 Current research status areas without access to international journals, as well as the conflict of interests in areas where the conver- A recent bibliometric study on sturgeon and pad- sation measures for such species might potentially dlefish research reviewed the Web of Knowledge have a strong impact on management and resource listed literature published between 1996 and 2010 utilization, such as water diversion and hydropower. (Jaric´ & Gessner 2012), revealing a steady increase in The limited publication output might also indicate a peer-reviewed publications over time. However, lack of research funding for Critically Endangered although all 27 sturgeon and paddlefish species have species. An exception to the observed lack of focus been objects of research, species that are endan- on such species is the Critically Endangered Euro- gered or face a high probability of extinction have pean sturgeon Acipenser sturio, for which there have received disproportionately little attention. On aver- been 51 published papers that have focused almost age, species classified by the IUCN as Near Threat- exclusively on conservation-related issues. This spe- ened (NT), Vulnerable (VU), Endangered (EN) and cies received long-term attention from both the Critically Endangered (CR) have been the subject of French and the German ministries for the environ- 157, 97, 53 and 12 scientific publications, respec- ment, which supported scientifically-based rehabili- tively (Jaric´ & Gessner 2012). In addition, with tation measures and concerted actions as outlined in increased conservation status of a species, the impact the Bern Convention Action Plan and its follow-up of the publications decreased (i.e. on average, these (Gessner et al. 2011). studies received a lower number of citations; Jaric´& The observed lack of focus on most endangered Gessner 2012). Over the last decade, the focus of species reflects a dramatic mismatch between scien- research has shifted to some extent towards Vulnera- tific effort and conservation status of the studied spe- ble and Endangered species but it has remained cies. This phenomenon has previously also been ob- practically unchanged for those species classified as served in other fields of conservation biology (Trimble Critically Endangered. The 8 species that are highly & van Aarde 2010, Fisher et al. 2011). Farrier et al. threatened with extinction or are functionally extinct (2007) noted that, although classifying species as comprise the Sakhalin sturgeon Acipenser mikadoi, endangered is expected to result in appropriate pri- Yangtze sturgeon A. dabryanus, European sturgeon oritisation of activities and efforts, such as establish- A. sturio, Syr-darya shovelnose sturgeon Pseudo - ment of research priorities, other values and factors scaphirhynchus fedtschenkoi, dwarf sturgeon P. her- (e.g. local socio-political pressures to prioritise eco- manni, false shovelnose sturgeon P. kaufmanni, Chi- nomic development, flood protection, hydro power nese paddlefish Psephurus gladius, and Alabama utilisation) often influence the decision-making pro- sturgeon Scaphirhynchus suttkusi (IUCN 2013). With cess in practice. the exception of A. sturio, none of the 8 species was addressed in more than 1% of the total number of publications. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH AND MANAGEMENT Reasons for lack of research Little is known about the biology or sensitive life- cycle phases of threatened sturgeon and paddlefish The reasons for biased scientific focus might be species or about their interactions with their respec- associated with the regional economic value of the tive habitats. A lack of scientific focus on such species respective species, which probably acts as a driver means that there is not a sufficient level of information for aquaculture and fisheries-related research fund- on critical aspects of their life cycle. Such deficits ren- ing, given that the most important aquaculture spe- der the planning and execution of protection meas- cies are less endangered (Jaric´ & Gessner 2012). ures much more vague and difficult to justify. To help Limited access to specimens plays a considerable rectify this, conservation research in volving vulnera- role in the involvement of scientists in research on ble species and populations which face a high risk of highly endangered fish, while the utilization of extinction must be promoted to facilitate and close model species might also disguise the direction of gaps in the implementation of effective protection. research in other cases (Williot & Castelnaud 2011). This is in line with de Lima et al. (2011) who argue Additional factors might also be regional interest in that conservation re search efforts should prioritise conservation issues related to relict populations, those species which are classified in the higher threat involvement of primarily local researchers in remote categories of the IUCN Red List. Funding allocation Gessner et al.: Sturgeon research focuses on low risk species 97 and prioritization need to be refocused in order to importance of effective protection and management overcome this first obstacle for effective conservation for these species, as baselines can shift rapidly fol- management. However, as a second step it will be im- lowing extirpation or extinction (see e.g. Turvey et al. perative to overcome the apparent lack of commit- 2010) and result in a skewed public perception of ment to the development and/or implementation of expected functional habitats and species diversity. effective and concerted regional actions addressing sturgeon and paddlefish rehabilitation which has Acknowledgements. The authors thank the editor and 2 been observed in certain regions. Such lack of com- anonymous reviewers for providing helpful comments and mitment mostly results from potential interference suggestions that enhanced the quality of the paper. with economic interests affecting the habitat of the species in question (Gessner 2000). Adequate national LITERATURE CITED and international funding must be provided to enable further research on the biology of sturgeons and pad- Barua M (2011) Mobilizing metaphors: the popular use of dlefishes and to support immediate measures for their keystone, flagship and umbrella species concepts. Bio- divers Conserv 20: 1427−1440 protection. Moreover, management efforts and fund- de Lima RM, Bird JP, Barlow J (2011) Research effort alloca- ing should be directed at the most threatening im- tion and the conservation of restricted-range island bird pacts, such as habitat fragmentation and habitat loss, species. Biol Conserv 144: 627−632 as well as
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Federal Register/Vol. 70, No. 189/Friday, September 30, 2005
    57316 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 189 / Friday, September 30, 2005 / Notices Dated: September 22, 2005. 2. Chairman’s Report. ADDRESSES: Caspian Sea littoral states Mark R. Johnston, 3. Executive Director’s Report. wishing to provide information that may Director, Office of Special Needs Assistance 4. Financial Budget. allow us to lift this trade suspension Programs. 5. Public Input. may submit it by any one of several [FR Doc. 05–19298 Filed 9–29–05; 8:45 am] It is anticipated that about twenty-five methods: people will be able to attend the session BILLING CODE 4210–29–M 1. You may submit written in addition to the Commission information to Robert R. Gabel, Chief, members. Division of Scientific Authority, U.S. Interested persons may make oral or INTER-AMERICAN FOUNDATION Fish and Wildlife Service, 4401 North written presentations to the Commission Fairfax Drive, Room 750, Arlington, or file written statements. Such requests Sunshine Act Meeting; Agenda for Virginia 22203. should be made prior to the meeting to: board of Directors’ Meeting 2. You may hand-deliver written Larry Gall, Interim Executive Director, information to the Division of Scientific October 14, 2005, 9:30 a.m.–3 p.m. John H. Chafee, Blackstone River Valley Authority, at the above address, or fax The meeting will be held at the Inter- National Heritage Corridor Commission, your comments to (703) 358–2276. American Foundation, 901 N. Stuart One Depot Square, Woonsocket, RI 3. You may send information by Street, 10th Floor, Arlington, Virginia 02895, Tel.: (401) 762–0250. electronic mail (e-mail) to 22203.
    [Show full text]
  • The Holocene Occurrence of Acipenser Spp. in the Southern North Sea: the Archaeological Record
    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Lirias Journal of Fish Biology (2016) doi:10.1111/jfb.13094, available online at wileyonlinelibrary.com The Holocene occurrence of Acipenser spp. in the southern North Sea: the archaeological record E. Thieren*†, A. Ervynck‡, D. Brinkhuizen§, A. Locker‖ and W. Van Neer*¶ *Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Vautierstraat 29, B-1000 Brussels, Belgium, †Laboratory of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Genomics, KU Leuven, Ch. Debériotstraat 32, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium, ‡Flanders Heritage, Koning Albert II-laan 19 box 5, B-1210 Brussels, Belgium , §Koninginnelaan 18A, 9717 BT, Groningen, The Netherlands and ‖Edifici L’Ingla, Atic 1a, 58 Avenguda del Pessebre, Escaldes-Engordany, AD700, Andorra (Received 3 June 2015, Accepted 23 June 2016) Archaeological sturgeon remains from the southern North Sea basin used to be automatically attributed to Acipenser sturio, since this was the only acipenserid species believed to occur there. These species identifications, however, were in need of revision after a growing number of indications were foundfor the historical presence of Acipenser oxyrinchus in western Europe. In this study, morphological and genetic data on sturgeon remains from archaeological sites along the southern North Sea are revised. A large number of Dutch, Belgian, British and some French archaeological sturgeon remains, dating from the Mesolithic up to Late Modern times, are morphologically examined and fish sizes are reconstructed. This study of >7000 acipenserid bones proves the sympatric occurrence of European sturgeon A. sturio and Atlantic sturgeon A. oxyrinchus in the southern North Sea at least since the Neolithic (fourth millennium BC onwards), with A.
    [Show full text]
  • Sturgeons of the Caspian Sea and Ural River
    Photo and image credits: Front Cover: Top left, beluga sturgeon (Huso huso); Top Right: Russian sturgeon (Acipenser gueldenstaedtii); Bottom: stellate sturgeon (Acipenser stellatus); Todd Stailey, Tennessee Aquarium. Back Cover: “FISH IS OUR TREASURE”, Phaedra Doukakis, Ph. D. IOCS; Page 1: Shannon Crownover, The Nature Conservancy; Page 6, 9, 10, 11: Phaedra Doukakis, Ph. D., IOCS; Page 4, 5, 7 designed by Grace Lewis. Brochure content was developed by Alison Ormsby, Ph.D. and Phaedra Doukakis, Ph. D. with editorial review by Yael Wyner, Ph. D. Layout was designed by Grace Lewis. The brochure was developed under a generous grant from Agip KCO. Agip KCO Tel.: international line: 1, K. Smagulov Street +39 02 9138 3300 Atyrau, 06002 Tel: local lines: Republic of Kazakhstan (+7) 7122 92 3300 Fax: (+7) 7122 92 3310 Designed and printed in Kazakhstan www.agipkco.com Sturgeons of the Caspian Sea and Ural River www.oceanconservationscience.org A Unique and Precious Resource What are Sturgeon? River, other rivers off the Caspian Sea are used by sturgeons for With bony plates called scutes on their bodies and ancestors that reproduction, including the Volga River in Russia and the Kura date to the time of dinosaurs, sturgeons are unusual fish. Unlike River in Azerbaijan. However, dams on the Volga and Kura have other types of fish, sturgeons have scutes instead of scales. blocked sturgeons from being able to migrate upriver, and have changed the quality of the rivers so they are no longer able to support sturgeon reproduction. Reproduction: For sturgeon, the process of mixing female eggs and male sperm to create a fertilized egg that hatches into a baby sturgeon.
    [Show full text]
  • Pan-European Action Plan for Sturgeons
    Strasbourg, 30 November 2018 T-PVS/Inf(2018)6 [Inf06e_2018.docx] CONVENTION ON THE CONSERVATION OF EUROPEAN WILDLIFE AND NATURAL HABITATS Standing Committee 38th meeting Strasbourg, 27-30 November 2018 PAN-EUROPEAN ACTION PLAN FOR STURGEONS Document prepared by the World Sturgeon Conservation Society and WWF This document will not be distributed at the meeting. Please bring this copy. Ce document ne sera plus distribué en réunion. Prière de vous munir de cet exemplaire. T-PVS/Inf(2018)6 - 2 - Pan-European Action Plan for Sturgeons Multi Species Action Plan for the: Russian sturgeon complex (Acipenser gueldenstaedtii, A. persicus-colchicus), Adriatic sturgeon (Acipenser naccarii), Ship sturgeon (Acipenser nudiventris), Atlantic/Baltic sturgeon, (Acipenser oxyrinchus), Sterlet (Acipenser ruthenus), Stellate sturgeon (Acipenser stellatus), European/Common sturgeon (Acipenser sturio), and Beluga (Huso huso). Geographical Scope: European Union and neighbouring countries with shared basins such as the Black Sea, Mediterranean, North Eastern Atlantic Ocean, North Sea and Baltic Sea Intended Lifespan of Plan: 2019 – 2029 Russian Sturgeon Adriatic Sturgeon Ship Sturgeon Atlantic or Baltic complex Sturgeon Sterlet Stellate Sturgeon Beluga European/Common Sturgeon © M. Roggo f. A. sturio; © Thomas Friedrich for all others Supported by - 3 - T-PVS/Inf(2018)6 GEOGRAPHICAL SCOPE: The Action Plan in general addresses the entire Bern Convention scope (51 Contracting Parties, including the European Union) and in particular the countries with shared sturgeon waters in Europe. As such, it focuses primarily on the sea basins in Europe: Black Sea, Mediterranean, North-East Atlantic, North Sea, Baltic Sea, and the main rivers with relevant current or historic sturgeon populations (see Table 2).
    [Show full text]
  • Demographics and Seasonal Diet Composition of Shovelnose Sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus Platorynchus Rafinesque) in Wabash River
    Eastern Illinois University The Keep Masters Theses Student Theses & Publications 2014 Demographics and Seasonal Diet Composition of Shovelnose Sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus platorynchus Rafinesque) in Wabash River Vaskar Nepal Eastern Illinois University This research is a product of the graduate program in Biological Sciences at Eastern Illinois University. Find out more about the program. Recommended Citation Nepal, Vaskar, "Demographics and Seasonal Diet Composition of Shovelnose Sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus platorynchus Rafinesque) in Wabash River" (2014). Masters Theses. 1316. https://thekeep.eiu.edu/theses/1316 This is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Theses & Publications at The Keep. It has been accepted for inclusion in Masters Theses by an authorized administrator of The Keep. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THESIS MAINTENANCE AND REPRODUCTION CERTIFICATE TO: Graduate Degree Candidates (who have written formal theses) SUBJECT: Permission to Reproduce Theses An important part of Booth Library at Eastern Illinois University's ongoing mission is to preserve and provide access to works of scholarship. In order to further this goal, Booth Library makes all theses produced at Eastern llinois University available for personal study, research, and other not-for-profit educational purposes. Under 17 U.S.C. § 108, the library may reproduce and distribute a copy without infringing on copyright; however, professional courtesy dictates that permission be requested from the author before doing so. By signing this form: • You confirm your authorship of the thesis. • You retain the copyright and intellectual property rights associated with the original research, creative activity, and intellectual or artistic content of the thesis. • You certify your compliance with federal copyright law (Title 17 of the U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • NORTHERN GREEN STURGEON Acipenser Medirostris (Ayres)
    NORTHERN GREEN STURGEON Acipenser medirostris (Ayres) Status: High Concern. Very little is known about the current size of the single northern green sturgeon population in California. However, habitat degradation and climate change continue to threaten their status. Description: Sturgeons, with their large size, subterminal barbeled mouths, lines of bony plates (scutes), and heterocercal (shark-like) tail, are among the most distinctive of freshwater fishes. Green sturgeon have 8-11 scutes in the dorsal row, 23-30 in the lateral rows, and 7-10 in the bottom rows. The dorsal fin has 33-36 rays, and the anal fin 22-28. They are distinguished from white sturgeon, with which they co-occur, by: (1) having one large scute behind the dorsal and anal fins, (2) having scutes that are sharp and pointed, and (3) having barbels that are closer to the mouth than to the tip of the long, narrow snout (Moyle 2002). Their color is olive-green to pale brown, with an olivaceous stripe on each side and scutes that are paler than the body. Taxonomic Relationships: Green sturgeon were described from San Francisco Bay in 1854 by W. O. Ayres as Acipenser medirostris, the only one of three species he described from the Bay that is still recognized. Green sturgeon are tetraploids and have lower fecundity and larger eggs than most other sturgeon (Gessner et al. 2007). The zoogeographic origin of green sturgeon is uncertain; evidence can be mounted for either an Asian or North American ancestry (Artyukhin et al. 2007). The closest relative is the Asian green sturgeon, Acipenser mikadoi, described from one poorly preserved specimen (Jordan and Snyder 1906).
    [Show full text]
  • Pallid Sturgeon Recovery Plan (Recovery Plan)
    PALLID STURGEON coRE VERYPMN Recovery Plan for the Pallid Sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus a/bus) Prepared by the Pallid Sturgeon Recovery Team Principal Authors Mark P. Dryer, Leader U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Ecological Services 1500 Capitol Avenue Bismarck, ND 58501 and Alan J. Sandvol U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Fisheries and Federal Aid 1500 Capitol Avenue Bismarck, ND 58501 for Region 6 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Denver, Colorado / Approved: Re~5l i rector Date TABLE OF CONTENTS TITLE PAGE RECOVERY BACKGROUND AND STRATEGY iii PALLID STURGEON RECOVERY TEAM iv DISCLAIMER V ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS vi EXECUTIVE SUMMARY vii Part I INTRODUCTION 1 History 1 General Description 1 Historical Distribution and Abundance 3 Present Distribution and Abundance 5 Habitat Preference 5 Current Velocity 7 Turbidity 8 Water Depth 8 Substrate 8 Temperature 8 Life History 8 Reproductive Biology 8 Food and Feeding Habits 9 Age and Growth 10 Reasons for Decline 10 Habitat Loss 10 Commercial Harvest 13 Pall uti on/Contami nants 14 Hybridization 14 Part II RECOVERY 16 Recovery Objectives and Criteria 16 Recovery—Priority Management Areas 16 Recovery Outline 19 24 Recovery Outline Narrative . LITERATURE CITED 42 Part III IMPLEMENTATION SCHEDULE 46 FIGURES NO. PAGE 1. Comparative Diagrams of the Ventral Surface of the Head of Shovelnose Sturgeon and Pallid Sturgeon, Showing Several Measurement Ratios of Value for Identification 2 2. Historic Range of Pallid Sturgeon 4 3. Recent Occurrence of Pallid Sturgeon 6 4. Recovery—Priority Management Areas 18 RECOVERY BACKGROUND AND STRATEGY The pallid sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus albus Forbes and Richardson) was listed as an endangered species on September 6, 1990 (55 FR 36641) pursuant to the Endangered Species Act (Act) of 1973 (16 U.S.C.
    [Show full text]
  • Diet and Growth of 1+ Siberian Sturgeon, Acipenser Baerii in Alternative Pond Culture
    Turkish Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 7: 153-160 (2007) Diet and Growth of 1+ Siberian Sturgeon, Acipenser baerii in Alternative Pond Culture Zdeněk Adámek1,*, Miroslav Prokeš2, Vlastimil Baruš2, Ivo Sukop3 1 Research Inst. of Fish Culture and Hydrobiology, University of South Bohemia, Květná 8, 603 65 Brno, Czech Republic. 2 Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Květná 8, 603 65 Brno, Czech Republic. 3 Department of Zoology, Fisheries, Hydrobiology and Apiculture, Mendel University of Agriculture and Forestry, Nejdecká 600, 691 44 Lednice na Moravě, Czech Republic. * Corresponding Author: Tel: +420 543 422 523; Fax: +420 543 211 346; Received 16 July 2007 E-mail: [email protected] Accepted 20 September 2007 Abstract The culture of 1+ Siberian sturgeon (Acipenser baerii) was performed in concrete storage ponds with natural water temperature regime during the growing season. Fish were separated into two groups – with supplementary feeding using trout -1 pellets (FF) and control variant (CF). Specific growth rates in FF and CF were 0.26 and 0.16%.day in length and 0.53 and 0.18%.day-1 in weight, respectively. The average indices of weight condition rose from initial 0.377 and 0.372 to final values of 0.393 and 0.322 in FF and CF, respectively. Fish diet consisted of 25 food items. Chironomid larvae, cladocerans (Daphnia sp.) and detritus prevailed in fish guts with 40.4 – 52.8, 19.1 - 28.8 and 16.3 – 19.4%, respectively. Pelleted feed occurred in 8.7% proportion in one third of examined FF fish.
    [Show full text]
  • Iucn Red Data List Information on Species Listed On, and Covered by Cms Appendices
    UNEP/CMS/ScC-SC4/Doc.8/Rev.1/Annex 1 ANNEX 1 IUCN RED DATA LIST INFORMATION ON SPECIES LISTED ON, AND COVERED BY CMS APPENDICES Content General Information ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 2 Species in Appendix I ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 3 Mammalia ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 4 Aves ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 7 Reptilia ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 12 Pisces .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Shovelnose Sturgeon Scaphirhynchus Platorynchus
    shovelnose sturgeon Scaphirhynchus platorynchus Kingdom: Animalia FEATURES Phylum: Chordata A shovelnose sturgeon's average weight is one and Class: Actinopterygii one-half to two pounds. The maximum length is Order: Acipenseriformes about 30 inches, and the maximum weight is about five pounds. Four fringed barbels (whiskerlike Family: Acipenseridae projections) are present on the chin near the ILLINOIS STATUS sucking-type mouth. Bony plates along the back, a forked tail and a flat head in the shape of a shovel common, native are all characteristic traits. The body is brown on the back and sides with a white belly. The skeleton is mainly cartilage. BEHAVIORS The shovelnose sturgeon lives on a gravel or sand bottom in the open channels of large rivers. This fish is capable of reproducing when it reaches a length of 20 to 25 inches (age five to seven years). The female deposits about 200,000 eggs over a gravel or rock bottom in the open channel of a large river. Spawning occurs April through June. The shovelnose sturgeon eats insect larvae (particularly flies and caddisflies), using its flexible sucking mouth to pull them in. ILLINOIS RANGE © Illinois Department of Natural Resources. 2020. Biodiversity of Illinois. Unless otherwise noted, photos and images © Illinois Department of Natural Resources. © Garold Sneegas/Engbretson Underwater Photography © Uland Thomas Aquatic Habitats rivers and streams Woodland Habitats none Prairie and Edge Habitats none © Illinois Department of Natural Resources. 2020. Biodiversity of Illinois. Unless otherwise noted, photos and images © Illinois Department of Natural Resources..
    [Show full text]
  • The Key Threats to Sturgeons and Measures for Their Protection in the Lower Danube Region
    THE KEY THREATS TO STURGEONS AND MEASURES FOR THEIR PROTECTION IN THE LOWER DANUBE REGION MIRJANA LENHARDT* Institute for Biological Research, Serbia IVAN JARIĆ, GORČIN CVIJANOVIĆ AND MARIJA SMEDEREVAC-LALIĆ Center for Multidisciplinary Studies, Serbia Abstract The six native sturgeon species have been commercially harvested in the Danube Basin for more than 2,000 years, with rapid decrease in catch by mid 19th century. Addi- tional negative effect on sturgeon populations in the Danube River was river regulation in Djerdap region, due to navigation in the late 19th century, as well as dam construction in the second half of 20th century that blocked sturgeon spawning migrations. Beside over- fishing and habitat loss, illegal trade, life history characteristics of sturgeon, lack of effective management (due to lack of transboundary cooperation and change in political situa- tion in Lower Danube Region countries) and pollution all pose serious threats on sturgeon populations in Lower Danube Region. International measures established by the Conven- tion on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) in late 20th century, listing of beluga (Huso huso) as an endangered species under the U.S. Endangered Species Act, as well as development of Action plan for conservation of sturgeons in the Danube River Basin, had significant impact on activities related to sturgeon protection at beginning of 21st century. These actions were aimed towards diminishment of pressure on natural sturgeon populations and aquaculture development in countries of Lower Danube Region. The main goal of the Action Plan was to raise public awareness and to create a common framework for implementation of urgent measures.
    [Show full text]
  • Shovelnose Sturgeon (<I>Scaphirhynchus Platorynchus</I>)
    University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies 9-25-2014 The tS atus of Fishes in the Missouri River, Nebraska: Shovelnose Sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus platorynchus) Kirk D. Steffensen Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, [email protected] Sam Stukel South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks, [email protected] Dane A. Shuman U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Great Plains Fish and WIldlife Conservation Office, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/tnas Part of the Aquaculture and Fisheries Commons, Behavior and Ethology Commons, Biodiversity Commons, Environmental Indicators and Impact Assessment Commons, Environmental Monitoring Commons, Natural Resources and Conservation Commons, Population Biology Commons, Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology Commons, and the Water Resource Management Commons Steffensen, Kirk D.; Stukel, Sam; and Shuman, Dane A., "The tS atus of Fishes in the Missouri River, Nebraska: Shovelnose Sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus platorynchus)" (2014). Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies. 466. http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/tnas/466 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Nebraska Academy of Sciences at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. The Status of Fishes in the Missouri River, Nebraska: Shovelnose Sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus platorynchus) Kirk D. Steffensen,1* Sam Stukel,2 and Dane A. Shuman3 1 Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, 2200 North 33rd Street, Lincoln, NE 68503 2 South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks, 31247 436th Ave., Yankton, SD 57078 3 U.S.
    [Show full text]