M.L. Miller
T. R. Gemeinhardt
Trevor A. Starks
A. P. Civiello
James M. Long
J. L. Bonneau
N.J.C. Gosch
2016
<p><span>A lack of nutritious food during the first year of life is a hypothesized factor that may limit survival of endangered pallid sturgeon</span><i>Scaphirhynchus albus</i><span> in the lower Missouri River (LMOR). Unfortunately, information for age-0 pallid sturgeon diets remains limited, but diet analyses for age-0 </span><i>Scaphirhynchus</i><span> spp. (sturgeon hereafter) have occurred. Little information, however, exists on age-0 sturgeon diets in the LMOR; thus, our primary objective was to document age-0 sturgeon diets in this system. We examined guts contents from 30 individuals, which were genetically identified as shovelnose sturgeon </span><i>Scaphirhynchus platorynchus</i><span>, and three stomachs were empty. The remaining age-0 shovelnose sturgeon consumed chironomid larvae almost exclusively (>98% of prey items consumed). Our results were similar to studies conducted in other systems, and it appears unlikely that a lack of nutritious food was a major factor affecting the individuals captured during this study. This effort provides important information to help guide ongoing adaptive management efforts in the LMOR.</span></p>
application/pdf
10.1002/rra.3003
en
Wiley Online
Age-0 Shovelnose Sturgeon prey consumption in the Lower Missouri River
article