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because it is only during the years when they are going to spawn that they exhibit spawning <br />migrations to appropriate spawning habitats. Recent studies of the physiology of shovelnose <br />sturgeon have provided insights to non-invasively determine the spawning condition of sturgeon <br />(Papoulias et al. 2007). <br />Relationship of PRRIP hypotheses to life cycle stages of pallid sturgeon: <br />PS-1: Current habitat in the lower Platte River is/is not suitable for adult and juvenile pallid <br />sturgeon. <br />Adult and juvenile pallid sturgeon have been captured in the lower Platte River. In <br />addition, larval (Scaphirhynchus) sturgeon have also been collected in the lower Platte <br />River. The presence and abundance of this range of life cycle stages is a significant <br />indicator that the habitats found in the lower Platte River are suitable for pallid sturgeon. <br />Therefore, continued population assessments of pallid sturgeon life stages could be used <br />to evaluate habitat in the lower Platte River. <br />PS-2: Water related activities above the Loup River do/do not impact pallid sturgeon habitat. <br />The different life stages of pallid sturgeon have different habitat requirements. If water <br />related activities above the Loup River change the flow in the lower Platte River then <br />impacts on the presence of these life stages of pallid sturgeon are likely. The distribution <br />and amount of the habitats needed by different life stages of pallid sturgeon correlated <br />with differences in water supply entering the lower Platte River from above the Loup <br />River confluence would be a promising way to evaluate the impacts of these flows on the <br />quality of the habitat for the different life stages of pallid sturgeon.