Animal Sciences Commons^™

Shovelnose Sturgeon Reproductive Ecology In The Lower Platte River, Nebraska, Mathew L. Rugg

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Biodiversity and abundance of freshwater organisms are experiencing drastic declines. Anthropogenic disturbances have altered the natural flow regimes of large rivers, and have led to declines in species that rely on elements of natural flow. Similarly, shovelnose sturgeon distribution has diminished in the last 100 years due to habitat alteration, overharvest, and water contamination. To fully understand the status and viability of a fish population, basic knowledge of a fish’s reproductive strategy is needed. Aspects of reproduction that should be understood to manage for sustainability include maturation, fecundity, and spawning dynamics. There is currently little published information on age/size of …