Affiliation:
1. Mount Allison University, Department of Biology, 62 York Street, Sackville, NB E4L 1E2, Canada.
Abstract
Juvenile Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus) form seasonal aggregations near the salt wedge in their natal river systems. We used an array of Vemco positioning system acoustic receivers to track fine-scale movement within aggregation sites in two rivers in the Saint John River Basin. We used the t-LoCoH convex hull construction algorithm to map space use and aggregation behavior and nonmetric multidimensional scaling to test for differences among rivers, seasons, and photoperiods. Aggregation sites consisted of small core areas, where juvenile Atlantic sturgeon remained for long periods, that are adjacent to foraging grounds. This structure was largely consistent between rivers and seasons. Directional movement within aggregation sites differed between rivers. In areas of high flow velocity, directional movement was parallel to flow and largely restricted to littoral areas, whereas areas of low flow exhibited no distinct patterns in directional movement. This indicates flow may be an important driver of fine-scale distribution within aggregation sites. Studies of fine-scale space use can inform future investigations of rearing capacity, aid in the identification of critical habitat, and inform management decisions.
Publisher
Canadian Science Publishing
Subject
Aquatic Science,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
Reference38 articles.
1. Bell, J.W. 2011. Acoustic telemetry and stable isotope analysis of Atlantic sturgeon juveniles, Acipenser oxyrinchus, in the Saint John River, New Brunswick, Canada. Honors thesis, Department of Biology, Mount Allison University, Sackville, N.B.
2. Experimental Examination of Surgical Procedures for Implanting Sonic Transmitters in Juvenile Shortnose Sturgeon and Atlantic Sturgeon
3. A Review of the Status of Atlantic Sturgeon in Canada, with Comparisons to Populations in the United States and Europe
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