| Abstract/Description or Keywords |
The Nechako River population of white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) is a redlisted species in British Columbia (BC Conservation Data Centre 2005) and is classified as endangered by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC - November 2003). Genetic analysis indicates the Nechako River population is distinct from the Fraser River population, suggesting limited or no inter-breeding among the Nechako and Fraser stocks (Smith et al. 2002). Research also suggests the Nechako population is experiencing recruitment failure with the population dominated by larger, older fish and few juve niles (Nechako White Sturgeon Recovery Initiative (NWSRI) 2004). This situation is not unique to the Nechako River, as white sturgeon populations from the Kootenai and Columbia Rivers are undergoing similar failures. The role of abiotic factors such as temperature and flow on the life-history of white sturgeon has been the focus of extensive research in these systems since it has been shown that these factors influence the timing of spawning events, (Paragamian and Kruse 2001) egg survival and larvae dispersal (Koch 2004). Given the apparent importance of these factors on sturgeon spawning success, any event impacting the hydrology of the system, such as forced spills from reservoirs or increased run-off associated with forestry activities, could affect white sturgeon reproductive success. This report summarizes the potential effects of the mountain pine beetle (MPB) infestation on the hydrology of the Nechako River and associated effects on the Nechako white sturgeon population. |
