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Carly Carmack
Carly Carmack
Introduction
Introduction
Atlantic Sturgeon are anadromous fish which means they spend the majority of their life in salt water but migrate to freshwater in order to spawn. These fish are in the superclass Actinopterygii which are the ray-finned fishes and the class Chondrostei consisting of the paddlefishes and sturgeons. Atlantic Sturgeons have five rows of bony plates along their body, referred to as scutes and four soft tissue projections on their snout, called barbels. Atlantic Sturgeon can grow up to sixteen feet long and weigh up to 800 pounds (NOAA Fisheries, 2020). These fish appear bluish black or olive brown on their dorsal side, pale on their lateral sides, and white on their ventral side (NOAA Fisheries, 2020).
Atlantic Sturgeon are anadromous fish which means they spend the majority of their life in salt water but migrate to freshwater in order to spawn. These fish are in the superclass Actinopterygii which are the ray-finned fishes and the class Chondrostei consisting of the paddlefishes and sturgeons. Atlantic Sturgeons have five rows of bony plates along their body, referred to as scutes and four soft tissue projections on their snout, called barbels. Atlantic Sturgeon can grow up to sixteen feet long and weigh up to 800 pounds (NOAA Fisheries, 2020). These fish appear bluish black or olive brown on their dorsal side, pale on their lateral sides, and white on their ventral side (NOAA Fisheries, 2020).
Photo retrieved from: https://www.fws.gov/fisheries/fishmigration/atlantic_sturgeon.html
Acipenser oxyrinchus
Acipenser oxyrinchus
Common Name: Atlantic sturgeon
Common Name: Atlantic sturgeon
Kingdom: Animalia
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Superclass: Actinopterygii
Superclass: Actinopterygii
Class: Chondrostei
Class: Chondrostei
Order: Acipenseriformes
Order: Acipenseriformes
Family: Acipenseridae
Family: Acipenseridae
Subfamily: Acipenserinae
Subfamily: Acipenserinae
Genus: Acipenser
Genus: Acipenser
Species: oxyrinchus
Species: oxyrinchus
The term oxyrinchus means "sharp snout" (Chesapeake Bay, 2020).
The term oxyrinchus means "sharp snout" (Chesapeake Bay, 2020).
Niche and Habitat
Niche and Habitat
The Atlantic Sturgeon can be found in coastal waters and rivers along the Canadian and United States Coastal Atlantic. These fish hatch in freshwater and migrate to salt water to live until ready to reproduce when they migrate back to the freshwater in which they were hatched to spawn and lay their eggs (NOAA Fisheries, 2020). In North Carolina, Atlantic sturgeon spawn in the late summer and fall. These fish inhabit shallow waters around the continental shelf with depths of about 50m and are also found in coastal brackish waters (FWS, 2020). The Atlantic sturgeon has a diet which consists of crustaceans, worms and mollusks (FWS, 2020).
The Atlantic Sturgeon can be found in coastal waters and rivers along the Canadian and United States Coastal Atlantic. These fish hatch in freshwater and migrate to salt water to live until ready to reproduce when they migrate back to the freshwater in which they were hatched to spawn and lay their eggs (NOAA Fisheries, 2020). In North Carolina, Atlantic sturgeon spawn in the late summer and fall. These fish inhabit shallow waters around the continental shelf with depths of about 50m and are also found in coastal brackish waters (FWS, 2020). The Atlantic sturgeon has a diet which consists of crustaceans, worms and mollusks (FWS, 2020).
Evolutionary History
Evolutionary History
Atlantic Sturgeons were once in abundance but as a result of overfishing and habitat loss, their populations have decreased (NOAA Fisheries, 2020). It is believed that sturgeons have been around for more than 100 million years and consist of 29 species worldwide, today (Erickson, 2013). Spawning patterns have changed over time due to anthropogenic influences. Only 22 of the 38 historical spawning rivers are used by the sturgeon in current times (NOAA Fisheries, 2020).
Atlantic Sturgeons were once in abundance but as a result of overfishing and habitat loss, their populations have decreased (NOAA Fisheries, 2020). It is believed that sturgeons have been around for more than 100 million years and consist of 29 species worldwide, today (Erickson, 2013). Spawning patterns have changed over time due to anthropogenic influences. Only 22 of the 38 historical spawning rivers are used by the sturgeon in current times (NOAA Fisheries, 2020).
Environmental Impacts
Environmental Impacts
The Atlantic Sturgeon is highly desired for its eggs used for caviar. In 1887, close to 7 million pounds of Atlantic Sturgeon were caught, then in 1905, the catch declined to about 20,000 pounds and in in 1989, only about 400 pounds of sturgeon were caught (NOAA Fisheries, 2020). Atlantic sturgeon habitat is disrupted as a result of dredging, damming waterways, saltwater intrusion, water withdrawals, and chemical contamination of sediments in rearing waters (NOAA Fisheries, 2020).
The Atlantic Sturgeon is highly desired for its eggs used for caviar. In 1887, close to 7 million pounds of Atlantic Sturgeon were caught, then in 1905, the catch declined to about 20,000 pounds and in in 1989, only about 400 pounds of sturgeon were caught (NOAA Fisheries, 2020). Atlantic sturgeon habitat is disrupted as a result of dredging, damming waterways, saltwater intrusion, water withdrawals, and chemical contamination of sediments in rearing waters (NOAA Fisheries, 2020).
Dams in rivers impede access to some spawning grounds, restricting sturgeon from returning to their place of hatching to spawn and lay eggs of their own. Atlantic sturgeon are often struck by vessels in the waterways and it is unknown how many survive after being struck. There is a low reproductive potential in female sturgeons since they don’t reach sexual maturity until they are about twelve years old and only spawn every two to six years (VIMS, 2020). The environmental impacts that the Atlantic Sturgeon are up against are unconstructive to their low fecundity.
Dams in rivers impede access to some spawning grounds, restricting sturgeon from returning to their place of hatching to spawn and lay eggs of their own. Atlantic sturgeon are often struck by vessels in the waterways and it is unknown how many survive after being struck. There is a low reproductive potential in female sturgeons since they don’t reach sexual maturity until they are about twelve years old and only spawn every two to six years (VIMS, 2020). The environmental impacts that the Atlantic Sturgeon are up against are unconstructive to their low fecundity.
(NYSDEC, 2018)
Conservation
Conservation
Atlantic Sturgeon were placed under the Endangered Species Act in 2012 (NOAA Fisheries, 2020). NOAA works to preserve existing habitat, improve and restore historical habitats such as dammed spawning grounds, and monitor bycatch reports and stock recovery. It is illegal to fish for, catch, or keep a sturgeon which allows for the most advantageous route of stock recovery (NOAA Fisheries, 2020). In North Carolina, Albemarle-Pamlico National Estuary Project has been working to receive approval for dam removals in critical spawning locations for the Atlantic Sturgeon.
Atlantic Sturgeon were placed under the Endangered Species Act in 2012 (NOAA Fisheries, 2020). NOAA works to preserve existing habitat, improve and restore historical habitats such as dammed spawning grounds, and monitor bycatch reports and stock recovery. It is illegal to fish for, catch, or keep a sturgeon which allows for the most advantageous route of stock recovery (NOAA Fisheries, 2020). In North Carolina, Albemarle-Pamlico National Estuary Project has been working to receive approval for dam removals in critical spawning locations for the Atlantic Sturgeon.
(Gustafsson, 2018)
Friends or Foes?
Friends or Foes?
The bony scutes which cover the Atlantic Sturgeon provide protection for this organism and it does not have many predators other than humans. In early developmental stages, the Atlantic Sturgeon may have a higher risk of predation but there is little documentation of predation as a mature sturgeon. It may have to compete with other bottom-dwelling species for prey such as crustaceans or mollusks. There are five species of helminth parasites that have been found to be an intermediate threat as they are found on snails which the Atlantic Sturgeon may ingest (Van Den Avyle, 1984).
The bony scutes which cover the Atlantic Sturgeon provide protection for this organism and it does not have many predators other than humans. In early developmental stages, the Atlantic Sturgeon may have a higher risk of predation but there is little documentation of predation as a mature sturgeon. It may have to compete with other bottom-dwelling species for prey such as crustaceans or mollusks. There are five species of helminth parasites that have been found to be an intermediate threat as they are found on snails which the Atlantic Sturgeon may ingest (Van Den Avyle, 1984).
(DESeaGrant, 2013)
Additional Resources
Additional Resources
NOAA Fisheries provides an overview webpage about the Atlantic Sturgeon.
2. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Services provides a fish guide web page reviewing information about the Atlantic Sturgeon.
3. North Carolina Wildlife Resource Commision provides a species profile for the Atlantic Sturgeon as it exists in the state of North Carolina.
4. Talking Fish provides a fish feature about the Atlantic Sturgeon and information about the human impacts on this species.
5. Albemarle-Pamlico National Estuary Partnership provides an article written in 2018 about the dam removal process for the conservation of Atlantic Sturgeons.
Literature Cited
Literature Cited
Chesapeake Bay. (2020) Atlantic Sturgeon Acipenser oxyrinchus. Chesapeake Bay Program. Retrieved from, https://www.chesapeakebay.net/S=0/fieldguide/critter/atlantic_sturgeon
DESeaGrant. (2013, Feb 5) Sea Talk - Atlantic Sturgeon. Retrieved from, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhqyHbCCZ10
Erickson, Jim. (2013) Living Fossils? Actually, sturgeon are evolutionary speedsters. University of Michigan: News. Retrieved from, https://news.umich.edu/living-fossils-actually-sturgeon-are-evolutionary-speedsters/
FWS. (2020) Freshwater Fish of America: Atlantic Sturgeon. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Retrieved from, https://www.fws.gov/fisheries/freshwater-fish-of-america/atlantic_sturgeon.html
Gustafsson, Jonas. (2018, Jan 20) Atlantic Sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus). Retrieved from, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAA_OAgNo4I
ITIS. (2020) Acipenser oxyrinchus. Integrated Taxonomic Information System On-line Database. Retrieved from, https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=553269#null
NOAA Fisheries. (2020) Species Directory: Atlantic Sturgeon. NOAA Fisheries. Retrieved from, https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/atlantic-sturgeon#overview
NYSDEC. (2018, Mar 23) Atlantic Sturgeon Research on The Hudson River. Retrieved from, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLWB-5obBYE
Van Den Avyle, M. J. (1984) Species profiles: Life histories and environmental requirements of coastal fishes and invertebrates (South Atlantic) -- Atlantic sturgeon. U.S. Fish Wildl. Serv. FWS/OBS-82111.25. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, TR EL-82-4. 17 pp .
VIMS. (2020). Atlantic Sturgeon: Old Fish, New Fish. Virginia Institute of Marine Science Research. Retrieved from, https://www.vims.edu/features/research/sturgeon_restoration.php
Lesson Plan
Lesson Plan
This lesson plan uses the Atlantic Sturgeon as a model species to demonstrate abiotic and biotic factors, biomes, biodiversity, and the impact of human activity on the ecosystems involved with the Atlantic Sturgeon.
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