Spawning related movement of shovelnose sturgeon in the Missouri River above Fort Peck Reservoir, Montana

Abstract

SummaryThe hypotheses of this study were (i) that shovelnose sturgeon would make upstream movements to spawn, (ii) movement of spawning fish would be greater in a year with higher discharge, and (iii) that spawning fish would have greater movements than reproductively inactive fish. Shovelnose sturgeon Scaphirhynchus platorynchus (Rafinesque, 1820) in five reproductive categories (e.g. males, confirmed spawning females, potentially spawning females, atretic females, and reproductively inactive females) were tracked in 2008 and 2009. All reproductive categories, except reproductively inactive females, exhibited large-scale movements and had omnidirectional movements. No differences in movement rates were observed in confirmed spawning females between years despite a 45% higher peak discharge

Trends in River Discharge and Water Temperature Cue Spawning Movements of Blue Sucker, Cycleptus elongatus, in an Impounded Great Plains River

“…These movements occurred in the lowest section of our study area, approxi-mately~25 rkm upstream of Fort Peck Reservoir, but these individuals also spent the majority of their time in the lower reach throughout the years. Sauger (Sander canadensis) and Shovelnose Sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus platorynchus) in this reach of the Missouri River also made downstream movements during spawning (Bellgraph, 2006;Richards et al, 2014). Downstream spawning migrations may result from meeting unfavorable conditions during initial upstream migrations (Richards et al, 2014) or the distribution of potential spawning habitat relative to overwintering and summer habitats.…”

Spatial structure of large‐river fish populations across main‐stem and tributary habitats

“…Movement of shovelnose sturgeon within the Kansas River (a tributary of the Missouri River) was limited during winter months (<2 rkm, Quist, Tillma, Burlingame, & Guy, ). Long‐distance dispersal (>100 rkm), however, can occur for reproductively mature individuals, and movement may be omnidirectional (Richards, Guy, Web, Gardner, & Jensen, ). Movement patterns between tributary and main‐stem environments are less understood.…”

Habitat use and population characteristics of potentially spawning shovelnose sturgeonScaphirhynchus platorynchus(Rafinesque, 1820), blue sucker (Cycleptus elongatus(Lesueur, 1817), and associated species in the lower Wisconsin River, USA

“…However, the Marias River was much smaller, with spring low flows only about 10%-25% of those in the LWR. In the upper Missouri River, which had about twice the flow of the LWR, shovelnose sturgeon spawning activities did not differ between 2 years with substantially different spring flows (Richards, Guy, Webb, Gardner, & Jensen, 2013). Thus the potential importance of river flow to their spawning is complex and may depend on the size of the river.…”