Spawning Habitat Selection and Egg Deposition by Reintroduced Lake Sturgeon in a Tributary to Cayuga Lake, NY

Dawn Dittman; Marc Chalupnicki; Phyllis Randall; Emily Zollweg-Horan

doi:doi:10.11648/j.eeb.20240901.12

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Spawning Habitat Selection and Egg Deposition by Reintroduced Lake Sturgeon in a Tributary to Cayuga Lake, NY

Dawn Dittman, Marc Chalupnicki^*, Phyllis Randall, Emily Zollweg-Horan

Published in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (Volume 9, Issue 1)

Received: 12 December 2023 Accepted: 5 January 2024 Published: 18 January 2024

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Abstract

In June 2017, we documented the first observed spawning event by a reintroduced population of Lake Sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) in Fall Creek, a tributary to Cayuga Lake, New York, USA. This is the first observed spawning encounter of adult Lake Sturgeon since the beginning of the multi-agency Lake Sturgeon restoration effort in Cayuga Lake initiated in 1995 by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Lake Sturgeon egg deposition was found specifically on substrate mainly composed of gravel sized rocks with depths and flows that made up a unique microhabitat combination within the creek which is not typical of habitat identified in other Lake Sturgeon spawning habitat studies across the Great Lakes. An estimated 810,052 ± 24,386 eggs were deposited in the sampled area of Fall Creek. The identified, potentially productive spawning microhabitat type in Fall Creek is likely to be widespread in similar tributaries around Cayuga Lake as well as small tributaries to other Finger Lakes and Lake Ontario. Ongoing research is focused on the evaluation of the extent of Finger Lakes habitat similar to that identified in Fall Creek. This microhabitat evaluation of sturgeon spawning and the broad scale landscape knowledge of tributary habitats, should support subsequent management to restore Lake Sturgeon.

Published in	Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (Volume 9, Issue 1)
DOI	10.11648/j.eeb.20240901.12
Page(s)	9-13
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Lake Sturgeon, Spawning, Habitat Selection, Reintroduction, Egg Deposition

References

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APA Style

Dittman, D., Chalupnicki, M., Randall, P., Zollweg-Horan, E. (2024). Spawning Habitat Selection and Egg Deposition by Reintroduced Lake Sturgeon in a Tributary to Cayuga Lake, NY. Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, 9(1), 9-13. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.eeb.20240901.12

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ACS Style

Dittman, D.; Chalupnicki, M.; Randall, P.; Zollweg-Horan, E. Spawning Habitat Selection and Egg Deposition by Reintroduced Lake Sturgeon in a Tributary to Cayuga Lake, NY. Ecol. Evol. Biol. 2024, 9(1), 9-13. doi: 10.11648/j.eeb.20240901.12

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AMA Style

Dittman D, Chalupnicki M, Randall P, Zollweg-Horan E. Spawning Habitat Selection and Egg Deposition by Reintroduced Lake Sturgeon in a Tributary to Cayuga Lake, NY. Ecol Evol Biol. 2024;9(1):9-13. doi: 10.11648/j.eeb.20240901.12

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@article{10.11648/j.eeb.20240901.12,
  author = {Dawn Dittman and Marc Chalupnicki and Phyllis Randall and Emily Zollweg-Horan},
  title = {Spawning Habitat Selection and Egg Deposition by Reintroduced Lake Sturgeon in a Tributary to Cayuga Lake, NY},
  journal = {Ecology and Evolutionary Biology},
  volume = {9},
  number = {1},
  pages = {9-13},
  doi = {10.11648/j.eeb.20240901.12},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.eeb.20240901.12},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.eeb.20240901.12},
  abstract = {In June 2017, we documented the first observed spawning event by a reintroduced population of Lake Sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) in Fall Creek, a tributary to Cayuga Lake, New York, USA. This is the first observed spawning encounter of adult Lake Sturgeon since the beginning of the multi-agency Lake Sturgeon restoration effort in Cayuga Lake initiated in 1995 by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Lake Sturgeon egg deposition was found specifically on substrate mainly composed of gravel sized rocks with depths and flows that made up a unique microhabitat combination within the creek which is not typical of habitat identified in other Lake Sturgeon spawning habitat studies across the Great Lakes. An estimated 810,052 ± 24,386 eggs were deposited in the sampled area of Fall Creek. The identified, potentially productive spawning microhabitat type in Fall Creek is likely to be widespread in similar tributaries around Cayuga Lake as well as small tributaries to other Finger Lakes and Lake Ontario. Ongoing research is focused on the evaluation of the extent of Finger Lakes habitat similar to that identified in Fall Creek. This microhabitat evaluation of sturgeon spawning and the broad scale landscape knowledge of tributary habitats, should support subsequent management to restore Lake Sturgeon.},
 year = {2024}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Spawning Habitat Selection and Egg Deposition by Reintroduced Lake Sturgeon in a Tributary to Cayuga Lake, NY
AU  - Dawn Dittman
AU  - Marc Chalupnicki
AU  - Phyllis Randall
AU  - Emily Zollweg-Horan
Y1  - 2024/01/18
PY  - 2024
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.eeb.20240901.12
DO  - 10.11648/j.eeb.20240901.12
T2  - Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
JF  - Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
JO  - Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
SP  - 9
EP  - 13
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2575-3762
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.eeb.20240901.12
AB  - In June 2017, we documented the first observed spawning event by a reintroduced population of Lake Sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) in Fall Creek, a tributary to Cayuga Lake, New York, USA. This is the first observed spawning encounter of adult Lake Sturgeon since the beginning of the multi-agency Lake Sturgeon restoration effort in Cayuga Lake initiated in 1995 by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Lake Sturgeon egg deposition was found specifically on substrate mainly composed of gravel sized rocks with depths and flows that made up a unique microhabitat combination within the creek which is not typical of habitat identified in other Lake Sturgeon spawning habitat studies across the Great Lakes. An estimated 810,052 ± 24,386 eggs were deposited in the sampled area of Fall Creek. The identified, potentially productive spawning microhabitat type in Fall Creek is likely to be widespread in similar tributaries around Cayuga Lake as well as small tributaries to other Finger Lakes and Lake Ontario. Ongoing research is focused on the evaluation of the extent of Finger Lakes habitat similar to that identified in Fall Creek. This microhabitat evaluation of sturgeon spawning and the broad scale landscape knowledge of tributary habitats, should support subsequent management to restore Lake Sturgeon.
VL  - 9
IS  - 1
ER  -

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Author Information

Dawn Dittman

United States Geological Survey, Tunison Laboratory of Aquatic Science, Cortland, USA

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Marc Chalupnicki

United States Geological Survey, Tunison Laboratory of Aquatic Science, Cortland, USA

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Phyllis Randall

United States Geological Survey, Tunison Laboratory of Aquatic Science, Cortland, USA

Contact Email
Emily Zollweg-Horan

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation – Fisheries, Cortland, USA

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Plain Text BibTeX RIS

APA Style

Dittman, D., Chalupnicki, M., Randall, P., Zollweg-Horan, E. (2024). Spawning Habitat Selection and Egg Deposition by Reintroduced Lake Sturgeon in a Tributary to Cayuga Lake, NY. Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, 9(1), 9-13. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.eeb.20240901.12

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ACS Style

Dittman, D.; Chalupnicki, M.; Randall, P.; Zollweg-Horan, E. Spawning Habitat Selection and Egg Deposition by Reintroduced Lake Sturgeon in a Tributary to Cayuga Lake, NY. Ecol. Evol. Biol. 2024, 9(1), 9-13. doi: 10.11648/j.eeb.20240901.12

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AMA Style

Dittman D, Chalupnicki M, Randall P, Zollweg-Horan E. Spawning Habitat Selection and Egg Deposition by Reintroduced Lake Sturgeon in a Tributary to Cayuga Lake, NY. Ecol Evol Biol. 2024;9(1):9-13. doi: 10.11648/j.eeb.20240901.12

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@article{10.11648/j.eeb.20240901.12,
  author = {Dawn Dittman and Marc Chalupnicki and Phyllis Randall and Emily Zollweg-Horan},
  title = {Spawning Habitat Selection and Egg Deposition by Reintroduced Lake Sturgeon in a Tributary to Cayuga Lake, NY},
  journal = {Ecology and Evolutionary Biology},
  volume = {9},
  number = {1},
  pages = {9-13},
  doi = {10.11648/j.eeb.20240901.12},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.eeb.20240901.12},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.eeb.20240901.12},
  abstract = {In June 2017, we documented the first observed spawning event by a reintroduced population of Lake Sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) in Fall Creek, a tributary to Cayuga Lake, New York, USA. This is the first observed spawning encounter of adult Lake Sturgeon since the beginning of the multi-agency Lake Sturgeon restoration effort in Cayuga Lake initiated in 1995 by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Lake Sturgeon egg deposition was found specifically on substrate mainly composed of gravel sized rocks with depths and flows that made up a unique microhabitat combination within the creek which is not typical of habitat identified in other Lake Sturgeon spawning habitat studies across the Great Lakes. An estimated 810,052 ± 24,386 eggs were deposited in the sampled area of Fall Creek. The identified, potentially productive spawning microhabitat type in Fall Creek is likely to be widespread in similar tributaries around Cayuga Lake as well as small tributaries to other Finger Lakes and Lake Ontario. Ongoing research is focused on the evaluation of the extent of Finger Lakes habitat similar to that identified in Fall Creek. This microhabitat evaluation of sturgeon spawning and the broad scale landscape knowledge of tributary habitats, should support subsequent management to restore Lake Sturgeon.},
 year = {2024}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Spawning Habitat Selection and Egg Deposition by Reintroduced Lake Sturgeon in a Tributary to Cayuga Lake, NY
AU  - Dawn Dittman
AU  - Marc Chalupnicki
AU  - Phyllis Randall
AU  - Emily Zollweg-Horan
Y1  - 2024/01/18
PY  - 2024
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.eeb.20240901.12
DO  - 10.11648/j.eeb.20240901.12
T2  - Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
JF  - Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
JO  - Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
SP  - 9
EP  - 13
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2575-3762
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.eeb.20240901.12
AB  - In June 2017, we documented the first observed spawning event by a reintroduced population of Lake Sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) in Fall Creek, a tributary to Cayuga Lake, New York, USA. This is the first observed spawning encounter of adult Lake Sturgeon since the beginning of the multi-agency Lake Sturgeon restoration effort in Cayuga Lake initiated in 1995 by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Lake Sturgeon egg deposition was found specifically on substrate mainly composed of gravel sized rocks with depths and flows that made up a unique microhabitat combination within the creek which is not typical of habitat identified in other Lake Sturgeon spawning habitat studies across the Great Lakes. An estimated 810,052 ± 24,386 eggs were deposited in the sampled area of Fall Creek. The identified, potentially productive spawning microhabitat type in Fall Creek is likely to be widespread in similar tributaries around Cayuga Lake as well as small tributaries to other Finger Lakes and Lake Ontario. Ongoing research is focused on the evaluation of the extent of Finger Lakes habitat similar to that identified in Fall Creek. This microhabitat evaluation of sturgeon spawning and the broad scale landscape knowledge of tributary habitats, should support subsequent management to restore Lake Sturgeon.
VL  - 9
IS  - 1
ER  -

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