scholarly journals Integrating physiological data with the conservation and management of fishes: a meta-analytical review using the threatened green sturgeon (Acipenser medirostris)

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Essie M Rodgers ◽  
Jamilynn B Poletto ◽  
Daniel F Gomez Isaza ◽  
Joel P Van Eenennaam ◽  
Richard E Connon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Elevated Temperatures ◽  
Swimming Performance ◽  
Yolk Sac ◽  
Physiological Data ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Green Sturgeon ◽  
Acipenser Medirostris ◽  
Life History Stages ◽  
Management Actions

Abstract Reversing global declines in the abundance and diversity of fishes is dependent on science-based conservation solutions. A wealth of data exist on the ecophysiological constraints of many fishes, but much of this information is underutilized in recovery plans due to a lack of synthesis. Here, we used the imperiled green sturgeon (Acipenser medirostris) as an example of how a quantitative synthesis of physiological data can inform conservation plans, identify knowledge gaps and direct future research actions. We reviewed and extracted metadata from peer-reviewed papers on green sturgeon. A total of 105 publications were identified, spanning multiple disciplines, with the primary focus being conservation physiology (23.8%). A meta-analytical approach was chosen to summarize the mean effects of prominent stressors (elevated temperatures, salinity, low food availability and contaminants) on several physiological traits (growth, thermal tolerance, swimming performance and heat shock protein expression). All examined stressors significantly impaired green sturgeon growth, and additional stressor-specific costs were documented. These findings were then used to suggest several management actions, such as mitigating salt intrusion in nursery habitats and maintaining water temperatures within optimal ranges during peak spawning periods. Key data gaps were also identified; research efforts have been biased towards juvenile (38.1%) and adult (35.2%) life-history stages, and less data are available for early life-history stages (embryonic, 11.4%; yolk-sac larvae, 12.4%; and post yolk-sac larvae, 16.2%). Similarly, most data were collected from single-stressor studies (91.4%) and there is an urgent need to understand interactions among stressors as anthropogenic change is multi-variate and dynamic. Collectively, these findings provide an example of how meta-analytic reviews are a powerful tool to inform management actions, with the end goal of maximizing conservation gains from research efforts.

Assessment of multiple stressors on the growth of larval green sturgeon Acipenser medirostris : implications for recruitment of early life‐history stages

2018 ◽  
Vol 93 (5) ◽  
pp. 952-960 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jamilynn B. Poletto ◽  
Benjamin Martin ◽  
Eric Danner ◽  
Sarah E. Baird ◽  
Dennis E. Cocherell ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Multiple Stressors ◽  
Early Life History ◽  
Green Sturgeon ◽  
Acipenser Medirostris ◽  
Life History Stages

scholarly journals The movement ecology of seagrasses

2014 ◽  
Vol 281 (1795) ◽  
pp. 20140878 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathryn McMahon ◽  
Kor-jent van Dijk ◽  
Leonardo Ruiz-Montoya ◽  
Gary A. Kendrick ◽  
Siegfried L. Krauss ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Clonal Growth ◽  
Movement Ecology ◽  
Future Research ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Spatial And Temporal Scales ◽  
Life History Stages ◽  
Research Areas ◽  
Time Movement

A movement ecology framework is applied to enhance our understanding of the causes, mechanisms and consequences of movement in seagrasses: marine, clonal, flowering plants. Four life-history stages of seagrasses can move: pollen, sexual propagules, vegetative fragments and the spread of individuals through clonal growth. Movement occurs on the water surface, in the water column, on or in the sediment, via animal vectors and through spreading clones. A capacity for long-distance dispersal and demographic connectivity over multiple timeframes is the novel feature of the movement ecology of seagrasses with significant evolutionary and ecological consequences. The space–time movement footprint of different life-history stages varies. For example, the distance moved by reproductive propagules and vegetative expansion via clonal growth is similar, but the timescales range exponentially, from hours to months or centuries to millennia, respectively. Consequently, environmental factors and key traits that interact to influence movement also operate on vastly different spatial and temporal scales. Six key future research areas have been identified.

Interpretation of otolith microstructure in the early life history stages of two temperate reef wrasses (Labridae)

2003 ◽  
Vol 54 (1) ◽  
pp. 69 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dirk C. Welsford
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Constant Temperature ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Early Life History ◽  
Yolk Sac ◽  
Otolith Microstructure ◽  
Life History Stages ◽  
Temperate Reef ◽  
In The Wild

Notolabrus fucicola and N. tetricus larvae were reared in the laboratory at a constant temperature of 11°C; both species hatched after 4 days. Mortality was high throughout the post-hatching stage, with no N. tetricus surviving beyond 24 hours post-hatching. Notolabrus fucicola late yolk sac larvae showed no clear incremental structure in their sagittal otoliths up to 9 days post-hatch. The radius of the sagittae of these late yolk sac larvae corresponded with the radius of a non-incremental region around the primordium of sagittae taken from post-settlement juveniles of both species captured in the wild. Therefore, it is likely that the first increment is formed at or near yolk sac absorption in these species. Post-settlement juveniles of both species were exposed to oxytetracycline (OTC) and held in aquaria for up to 33 days. Post-OTC increment counts showed that increments were formed daily in the sagittae of both species.

scholarly journals Value of coastal habitats for exploited species: introduction to a theme set of articles

2014 ◽  
Vol 71 (3) ◽  
pp. 636-637 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rochelle D. Seitz
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Research Priorities ◽  
Early Life History ◽  
The United States ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Species Introduction ◽  
Coastal Habitats ◽  
Life History Stages ◽  
Census Techniques

Abstract Many exploited fish and invertebrate species use coastal habitats during one or more life-history stages as spawning, feeding, and nursery areas; yet, the value of these habitats has not been adequately characterized. As habitat availability can be a bottleneck for many populations, concerns about habitat effects on exploited species have been increasing. We have compiled nine articles presenting the state of knowledge and future research priorities regarding the importance of habitat for exploited species. Reviews from European habitats and several geographical locations throughout the United States demonstrate the influence of coastal habitats on survival, growth, and movement, especially during the early life-history stages, in a wide variety of species, spatial scales, and habitats. Moreover, many of these species contribute substantially to commercial landings, highlighting the importance of coastal habitats to population persistence and fishery yields. Management of fishery species can also be enhanced through modelling efforts incorporating habitat. Finally, there is a need for more effort in quantifying population demographics rates, creating comprehensive habitat maps, and developing better census techniques for complex hard bottom habitats; thus, future work is needed on the value of coastal habitats for exploited species.

Hydraulic geometry as a physical template for the River Continuum: application to optimal flows and longitudinal trends in salmonid habitat

2007 ◽  
Vol 64 (5) ◽  
pp. 755-767 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jordan S Rosenfeld ◽  
John Post ◽  
Geneva Robins ◽  
Todd Hatfield
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Physical Model ◽  
Swimming Performance ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Channel Structure ◽  
Hydraulic Geometry ◽  
River Continuum ◽  
Life History Stages ◽  
Rainbow Trout Oncorhynchus Mykiss ◽  
Small Streams

The River Continuum Concept lacks a quantitative physical model to represent downstream trends in habitat. We evaluate whether hydraulic geometry relationships can be used as a physical template to predict longitudinal trends in habitat availability and optimal flows for different life-history stages of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Optimal flows based on hydraulic geometry indicate that (i) optimal flows are higher for larger fish, (ii) optimal flows proportionally increase as streams became smaller and decrease downstream, and (iii) maximum predicted habitat suitabilities for fry and juveniles are in small streams, and maximum suitabilities are displaced progressively downstream for later life-history stages. These patterns are an emergent property of downstream increases in channel depth and velocity and changes in habitat suitability curves associated with increased swimming performance of larger fish. Nonlinear downstream trends in habitat imply that fixed flow percentages recommended by the Tenant method may substantially underestimate optimal flows in small streams. Despite oversimplifying complex channel structure, hydraulic geometry relationships should serve as a useful physical model for testing downstream trends in habitat-related processes along the river continuum.

Benthic Life Histories: Summary and Future Needs

1979 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 342-345 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. F. Waters
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Physical Environment ◽  
Life Histories ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Life History Stages ◽  
History Information ◽  
History Of ◽  
Taxonomic Methods ◽  
Key Words Life History

The symposium indicated many ways in which greater knowledge of benthic life histories can be used to develop and improve techniques such as sampling, taxonomic methods, and bioassays. Benthic organisms' diet and physical environment, factors variable in nature, were shown to be capable of modifying certain life history features such as growth rate and voltinism. The lack of accumulated life history data and the need to tailor sampling schedules to life history events were commonly identified elements in the symposium. Future research needs included (1) basic data on benthic life history, (2) improved taxonomy of immature benthic invertebrates, and (3) understanding the entire life history of an organism in relation to the seasonal progression of its environment. Management implications of benthic life history information included more applicable data from long-term bioassays on all life history stages, and improved management of stream fisheries through habitat alteration to manipulate benthic production. Key words: life history, benthos, symposium

scholarly journals Intraspecific variation in migration timing of green sturgeon in the Sacramento River system

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott F. Colborne ◽  
Lawrence W. Sheppard ◽  
Daniel R. O’Donnell ◽  
Daniel C. Reuman ◽  
Jonathan A. Walter ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Movement Patterns ◽  
River System ◽  
Bimodal Distribution ◽  
Sacramento River ◽  
Green Sturgeon ◽  
Life History Variation ◽  
Acipenser Medirostris ◽  
Migration Timing ◽  
Timing Of Migration

AbstractBackgroundUnderstanding movement patterns of anadromous fishes is critical to conservation management of declining wild populations and preservation of habitats. Yet, infrequent observations of individual animals fundamentally constrain accurate descriptions of movement dynamics.MethodsIn this study, we synthesized over a decade (2006–2018) of acoustic telemetry tracking observations of green sturgeon (Acipenser medirostris) in the Sacramento River system to describe major anadromous movement patterns.ResultsWe observed that green sturgeon exhibited a unimodal in-migration during the spring months but had a bimodal distribution of out-migration timing, split between an ‘early’ out-migration (32%) group during May - June, or alternatively, holding in the river until a ‘late’ out-migration (68%), November - January. Focusing on these out-migration groups, we found that river discharge, but not water temperature, may cue the timing of migration, and that fish showed a tendency to maintain out-migration timing between subsequent spawning migration events.ConclusionsWe recommend that life history descriptions of green sturgeon in this region reflect the distinct out-migration periods described here. Furthermore, we encourage the continued use of biotelemetry to describe migration timing and life history variation, not only this population but other green sturgeon populations and other species.

scholarly journals A World of Gorse: Persistence of Ulex europaeus in Managed Landscapes

Plants ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (11) ◽  
pp. 523
Author(s):  
Nicholas Broadfield ◽  
Melinda T. McHenry
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Flowering Duration ◽  
Ulex Europaeus ◽  
Life History Stages ◽  
Management Actions ◽  
Mechanical Methods ◽  
The World ◽  
Plant Ecological ◽  
Managed Landscapes

Gorse (Ulex europeus L.) is a woody legume and invasive woody weed that has been introduced to temperate pastoral landscapes worldwide. Despite the apparent cosmopolitan distribution of gorse across much of the temperate agroecological landscapes of the world, research and practice pertaining to the management of gorse has been largely constrained to single-treatments, regions, or timeframes. Gorse eradication has been widely attempted, with limited success. Using the PRISMA (preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis) method and a quasi-metanalytical approach, we reviewed the seminal ~299 papers pertaining to gorse management. We identified (i) the ecological characteristics of the species that predispose gorse to behaving invasively, and (ii) the success of management actions (from a plant ecological life history perspective) in reducing weed vigour and impact. A broad ecological niche, high reproductive output, propagule persistence, and low vulnerability to pests allow for rapid landscape exploitation by gorse throughout much the world. Additionally, there are differences in flowering duration and season in the northern and southern hemisphere that make gorse particularly pernicious in the latter, as gorse flowers twice per year. The implications of these life history stages and resistance to environmental sieves after establishment are that activity and efficacy of control is more likely to be favourable in juvenile stages. Common approaches to gorse control, including herbicides, biological controls, and fire have not been ubiquitously successful, and may in fact target the very site resources—sward cover, soil stability, hydrological balance—that, when degraded, facilitate gorse invasion. Ongoing seedling regeneration presents difficulties if eradication is a goal, but facilitated competition may reduce costs via natural suppression. Mechanical methods of gorse removal, though highly successful, induce chronic soil erosion and land degradation and should hence be used sparingly.

Effects of ontogeny, season, and temperature on the swimming performance of juvenile green sturgeon (Acipenser medirostris)

2006 ◽  
Vol 63 (6) ◽  
pp. 1360-1369 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter J Allen ◽  
Brian Hodge ◽  
Inge Werner ◽  
Joseph J Cech, Jr.
Keyword(s):  
Swimming Performance ◽  
Life Stage ◽  
Negative Relationship ◽  
Linear Increase ◽  
Green Sturgeon ◽  
Pectoral Fin ◽  
Acipenser Medirostris ◽  
River Temperature ◽  
Surface Areas ◽  
Relationship Of

Because some salmonids show decreased swimming performance (Ucrit) during their parr-smolt transformation, we tested the hypothesis that juvenile anadromous green sturgeon (Acipenser medirostris) decrease Ucrit during their analogous ontogenetic stage. Juvenile green sturgeon (mean age: 98 days) that had not reached seawater tolerance had a positive relationship of Ucrit (cm·s–1) with total length (TL), whereas seawater-tolerant sturgeon (mean age: 150 days) had a negative relationship of Ucrit with TL. This Ucrit decrease was presumably seasonal because a similar-sized group of fish tested later (mean age: 288 days) showed a linear increase in Ucrit with TL. Smaller sturgeon displayed both morphological (larger relative pectoral fin surface areas) and behavioral (rostrum wedging and pectoral fin holding) attributes for station holding in a riverine environment. In a second experiment to test the effects of increased river temperature near the predicted time of downstream migration, Ucrit and heat-shock protein concentrations increased at 24 °C compared with at 19 °C (mean age: 155 days). Thus, although there was evidence for cellular stress, the swimming ability of the fish was not compromised. Therefore, water velocity, temperature, and time of year should be considered in life-stage-specific efforts to manage or protect green sturgeon.

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