Effects of Latitude, Season, and Temperature on Lake Sturgeon Movement

Abstract

Ecologists have a limited understanding of the rangewide variation in movement behavior in freshwater fishes, but recent expansion of biotelemetry allows biologists to investigate how fish movement can help to predict behavioral shifts in response to changing environments. The Lake Sturgeon Acipenser fulvescens is a wide‐ranging, migratory, coolwater species, making it a candidate species for studying patterns in movement ecology. We conducted a literature review and meta‐analysis of seasonal movement data compiled from 38 Lake Sturgeon telemetry studies in North America to build an understanding of spatiotemporal variation in movement behavior. Lake Sturgeon movement studies were underrepresented for low‐latitude populations in the Mississippi, Missouri, and Ohio/Tennessee River basins. Highest movement usually occurred during spring spawning migrations, whereas other populations exhibited their highest movement in the fall, potentially in order to overwinter near spawning grounds. Our meta‐regression analysis indicated that latitude or summer maximum temperature best predicted standardized mean difference between spring and summer movement in Lake Sturgeon populations across the species’ range. Our results suggest that Lake Sturgeon populations at lower latitudes and those that experience warmer summer temperatures have lower summer movement relative to spring movement. Managers may use this information to prioritize actions promoting the conservation of seasonally important habitats for the continued recovery of migratory coolwater fish (e.g., Lake Sturgeon) that potentially experience stressful thermal conditions.

Lake sturgeon seasonal movements in regulated and unregulated Missouri River tributaries

“…For migratory fish like Lake Sturgeon, hydrologic regulation may impede movements important to maintaining energy stores and accessing spawning sites (Baras & Lucas, 2001). Furthermore, recognition is increasing that Lake Sturgeon and other freshwater fish species exhibit intra‐specific and intra‐population variation in migratory behaviour that may have regional management implications (Chapman et al, 2012; Moore et al, 2020). Therefore, we conducted the first study to directly compare Lake Sturgeon movement in two rivers with varying degrees of hydrologic regulation within a range‐edge population.…”

“…Triggered by temperature and flow, reproductive adults may migrate up to 150 km to reproduce at rocky rapids in tributaries that oxygenate their adhesive demersal eggs (Auer, 1996a; Auer, 1996b; Forsythe et al, 2012; McKinley et al, 1998; Shaw et al, 2013) and subsequently retreat downstream to lakes or larger rivers (Peterson et al, 2007). Water temperatures above 28°C in populations near the southern range margin may cause thermal stress, periods of inactivity and arrested growth (Bezold & Peterson, 2008; Lyons & Stewart, 2014; Moore et al, 2020), whereas Lake Sturgeon also often remain sedentary in deep waters in colder months (Hay‐Chmielewski, 1987; Rusak & Mosindy, 1997).…”

“…However, little was known about Lake Sturgeon distribution, whether reproductive migrations were occurring and how Lake Sturgeon responded to hydrologic regulation. Given the growing recognition of population‐specific variability in Lake Sturgeon movement behaviour, research into the movement ecology of southern populations is needed to inform conservation planning (MacKenzie, 2016; Moore, 2021b; Moore et al, 2020). Furthermore, studies of species movement in comparable unregulated river reaches are rare (e.g.…”

Movement of sturgeons ( Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus and A. fulvescens ) in the St. Lawrence Estuary: A 35‐year tagging study

“…Similarly, a study conducted on subadult lake sturgeon in the St. Lawrence River reported that dispersal from the tagging location usually did not exceed 48 km and was frequently less than 16 km (Magnin & Beaulieu, 1960). In a metaanalysis of 38 lake sturgeon telemetry studies in North America, Moore et al (2021) showed that movement distances of lake sturgeon are highly variable and have large seasonal differences. Their meta-analysis indicated that lake sturgeon movement ranged between 100 and 1,500 m per day in the spring, and less than 400 m per day in the late summer and fall (Moore et al, 2021).…”

“…In a metaanalysis of 38 lake sturgeon telemetry studies in North America, Moore et al (2021) showed that movement distances of lake sturgeon are highly variable and have large seasonal differences. Their meta-analysis indicated that lake sturgeon movement ranged between 100 and 1,500 m per day in the spring, and less than 400 m per day in the late summer and fall (Moore et al, 2021). However, movement patterns of lake sturgeon in brackish water estuaries are not well studied.…”