Lake sturgeon meta-population structure: migration pathways, spawning fidelity, and survival in a complex river-lake ecosystem

HECST

January 2012 - December 2023

This goal of this study is to use acoustic telemetry improve understanding of Lake Sturgeon migration behavior, population structure, and habitat use in an ecosystem lacking barriers to migration and dispersal. Movements of 283 adult-sized (> 120 cm total length) Lake Sturgeon implanted with high-power acoustic tags have been tracked since 2012 on a network of receivers deployed in the Detroit and St. Clair rivers as well as in Lakes Erie, St. Clair, and Lake Huron. Analysis of individual- and population-scale movement data has enabled researchers at the U.S. Geological Survey, Michigan State University, and the Great Lakes Fishery Commission to identify novel migratory phenotypes and their genetic basis (Kessel et al. 2018, Whitaker et al. 2018), characterize population structure and interactions (Kessel et al. 2018), identify critical habitat (Colborne et al. in press), select sites for spawning reef construction (Brooks et al. 2017), and describe how Lake Sturgeon interact with their habitat in channelized rivers (Hondorp et al. 2017). Study results have provided information that can help improve management decision-making with regard to population assessment, habitat protection, harvest, dam removal, and restoration of Lake sturgeon habitat in spawning rivers. Movements of Lake Sturgeon also are being used by extension specialists to educate K-5 students about Great Lakes fish and fisheries. Future data analysis goals include using acoustic telemetry to describe survival and site fidelity of adult Lake Sturgeon as well as the effects of climate on the phenology of Lake Sturgeon migration.

• Determine whether local populations defined by different dispersal patterns and spawning habitats survive at different rates and then determine if source-sink population dynamics are occurring among these populations
• Determine if the timing and extent of Lake Sturgeon migration differs between warm vs. cold years

• Identify habitats for protection or restoration
• Inform strategies for barrier removal
• Describe the habitat and population connectivity of pristine (unperturbed) populations
• Identify novel phenotypes
• define parameters (e.g., survival) for population models

• Darryl Hondorp (United States Geological Survey) - dhondorp@usgs.gov
• Charles Krueger (Michigan State University)
• Christopher Holbrook (United States Geological Survey - Hammond Bay Biological Station)
• Justin Chiotti (United States Fish And Wildlife Service)
• Todd Wills (Michigan Department Of Natural Resources)
• Scott Colborne (Michigan State University)
• Richard Drouin (Ontario Ministry Of Natural Resources And Forestry)
• James Boase (United States Fish And Wildlife Service)
• Tyler Buchinger (Michigan State University)
• Tyler Buchinger (Albion) (Albion College - Albion College)

• Great Lakes Fishery Commission
• United States Geological Survey
• United States Fish and Wildlife Service
• Michigan Department of Natural Resources
• Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry

• Great Lakes Fishery Trust
• GLATOS
• U.S. Geological Survey

• Colborne, SF, DW Hondorp, CM Holbrook, JC Boase, JA Chiotti, C Wills, EF Roseman, R Drouin, and CC Krueger. In Press. Sequence analysis and acoustic tracking individual lake sturgeon identifies multiple patterns of river-lake habitat use. Ecosphere.
• Whitaker, JM, AB Welsh, DW Hondorp, JC Boase, GT Merovich, S Welsh, and CC Krueger. 2018. Variation in DNA methylation is associated with migratory phenotypes of lake sturgeon Acipenser fulvescens in the St. Clair River, MI, USA. Journal of Fish Biology 93:942-951.
• Kessel, ST, DW Hondorp, CM Holbrook, JC Boase, JA Chiotti, MV Thomas, TC Wills, EF Roseman, R Drouin, and CC Krueger. 2018. Divergent migration within lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) populations: multiple distinct patterns exist across an unrestricted migration corridor. Journal of Animal Ecology 87:259–273. DOI: 10.1111/1365- 2656.12772.
• Brooks, JL, C Boston, S Doka, D Gorsky, K Gustavson, DW Hondorp, D Isermann, JD Midwood, TC Pratt, AM Rous, JL Withers, CC Krueger, and SJ Cooke. 2017. Use of fish telemetry in rehabilitation planning, management, and monitoring in areas of concern in the Laurentian Great Lakes. Environmental Management. 10.1007/s00267-017-0937-x.
• Hondorp, DW, DH Bennion, EF Roseman, CM Holbrook, JC Boase, JA Chiotti, MV Thomas, TC Wills, RG Drouin, ST Kessel, and CC Krueger. 2017. Use of navigation channels by Lake Sturgeon: Does channelization increase vulnerability of fish to ship strikes? PLoS ONE 12(7): e0179791. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0179791.
• Hondorp, DW, CM Holbrook, and CC Krueger. 2015. Effects of acoustic tag implantation on lake sturgeon Acipenser fulvescens: lack of evidence for changes in behavior. Animal Biotelemetry. doi 10.1186/s40317-015-0085-0.