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Effects of river stage height and water temperature on diet composition of year‐0 sturgeon ( S caphirhynchus spp.): a multi‐year study
Author(s) -
Sechler D. R.,
Phelps Q. E.,
Tripp S. J.,
Garvey J. E.,
Herzog D. P.,
Ostendorf D. E.,
Ridings J. W.,
Crites J. W.,
Hrabik R. A.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
journal of applied ichthyology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.392
H-Index - 62
eISSN - 1439-0426
pISSN - 0175-8659
DOI - 10.1111/jai.12047
Subject(s) - biology , sturgeon , chironomidae , lake sturgeon , pupa , taxon , ecology , zoology , larva , acipenser , fishery , fish <actinopterygii>
Summary The diet composition was quantified of year‐0 S caphirhynchus sturgeons during sampling years (2004–2008) from the M iddle M ississippi R iver to evaluate trends in diet. River stage height varied among years and seasons. Water temperature differed among seasons but did not differ among years. The presence of empty stomachs was evident across years, seasons, and size classes of sturgeon. The overall M ultivariate A nalysis of V ariance for frequency of occurrence was significant, suggesting that macroinvertebrate taxa (e.g. E phemeroptera, D iptera pupae, C hironomidae, ‘ O ther’) differed among size classes of sturgeon, but not seasons or years. Furthermore, T ukey's pairwise comparisons indicated E phemeroptera frequency of occurrence differed between medium and large size classes; D iptera pupae differed between small and medium size classes and small and large size classes; C hironomidae differed between small and large size classes and medium and large size classes; the macroinvertebrate taxa category ‘ O ther’ differed between small and large size classes. Ultimately, because of the link between diet and growth of year‐0 S caphirhynchus sturgeon, the early life history may affect eventual recruitment to adult stages.