Abstract

Sturgeon populations in the Danube River have experienced severe decline during the last several decades, mostly due to the poorly regulated fishery, river fragmentation and water pollution. This study focuses on gaining better understanding of sturgeon life history primarily by addressing the assessment of microelement accumulation in sturgeon pectoral fin rays, especially of strontium and calcium, as a method that can reveal migration patterns of anadromous sturgeons. Analysis was performed on pectoral fin samples of three anadromous Danube sturgeon species (beluga, Russian sturgeon and stellate sturgeon) by the use of a Nuclear Microprobe technique. The most frequent pattern in analyzed samples was represented by a low Sr:Ca ratio in the innermost annuli, followed by an increased ratio in the middle annuli segment, and often with a decreased ratio in the outermost annuli. Probability density estimate has revealed three distinguished maxima of the Sr: Ca ratio, 7.08x10(-3), 8.98x10(-3) and 9.90x10(-3), which might correspond, respectively, to fresh, brackish and saltwater. Although the analysis of the Sr: Ca ratio in sturgeon pectoral fin rays has revealed changes that might indicate probable migration between habitats with different water salinity, further studies are needed for improvement of this method. This study represents the first analysis of this kind that was conducted on sturgeon species from the Black Sea basin.

Keywords

Acipenser; Huso; Migration patterns; Pectoral fin microchemistry; Sr:Ca ratio; Nuclear microprobe

Published in

Environmental Biology of Fishes
2011, Volume: 90, number: 2, pages: 171-181
Publisher: SPRINGER

SLU Authors

• Ebenhard, Torbjörn

  • Department of Urban and Rural Development, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

Associated SLU-program

SLU Swedish Biodiversity Centre


Sustainable Development Goals

SDG14 Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development


UKÄ Subject classification

Zoology
Fish and Aquacultural Science
Ecology


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10641-010-9728-4

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/60563