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Environmental cues for natural reproduction of the C hinese sturgeon, A cipenser sinensis G ray, 1835, in the Y angtze R iver, C hina
Author(s) -
Gao X.,
Li M.Z.,
Lin P.C.,
Duan Z.H.,
Liu H.Z.
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.12363
Subject(s) - sturgeon , three gorges , biology , yangtze river , fishery , china , reproduction , ecology , water level , zoology , fish <actinopterygii> , geography , geotechnical engineering , cartography , archaeology , engineering
Summary For effective conservation, it is important to explore the environmental cues initiating the spawning activities of a fish species. Based on monitoring data gathered between 1998 and 2011, the relationships between spawning activities of the C hinese sturgeon, A cipenser sinensis , and several environmental cues were analyzed using the rare events logistic regression ‘ R elogit’ method, which indicated that water temperature, 1‐day ∆‐discharge, and atmospheric pressure were among the key spawning cues for A . sinensis (P < 0.05). It is suggested that C hinese sturgeon might have an optimal environment window of 17–20°C water temperature, high day‐to‐day discharge increase, and low atmospheric pressure for spawning. In support of C hinese sturgeon reproduction, suggested modifications to the operational procedures for the Three G orges R eservoir ( TGR ) to trigger spawning are: lowering the downstream water temperature to below 20°C before mid‐October and expanding the period with water temperatures of between 17 and 20°C; to create a day‐to‐day intermittent increase in the discharge to an optimal spawning water temperature; and to regulate flow at nights with a low atmospheric pressure.