Topic: New publication: Reintroduced European sturgeon uncovered in harbor
porpoise stomachs (Eileen Hesse)
Dear MARMAM,
On behalf of my co-authors and myself, I am very pleased to share our latest
publication in Endangered Species Research which reports on the first known
predation of reintroduced European sturgeon by harbor porpoises in the North
Sea.
Hesse, E., Gessner, J., Siebert, U., & Gilles, A. (2024). First record of a
Critically Endangered species, European Sturgeon, in the stomach of harbor
porpoises from the North Sea. Endangered Species Research, doi:
https://doi.org/10.3354/esr01342
Abstract:
The European sturgeon Acipenser sturio has been of substantial commercial
interest in the past. Today it is considered Critically Endangered, with only
one remaining population in Europe. Fulfilling national conservation strategies
and aiming for the conservation of biological diversity, Germany has released
European sturgeons into their former habitats (Elbe River and its tributaries)
as part of experimental measures to restore the population. However, little is
known about their biology, sensitivity of life-stages to threats or trophic
interactions within their former habitats. Here, we report on the first known
predation of reintroduced sturgeons by harbor porpoises Phocoena phocoena and
discuss predator-prey interactions in the light of sturgeon conservation.
Stomach content analysis on stranded harbor porpoises revealed remains (scutes;
modified ganoid scales) of European sturgeon in stomachs of 2 adult harbor
porpoises (1.23%). Mean ± SD back-calculated lengths of ingested sturgeons were
26.11 ± 1.90 and 26.49 ± 1.93 cm, respectively, based on dorsal scute
morphometrics. To date, no predator-prey interactions between sturgeons and
harbor porpoises have been recorded in the North Sea. Future research into the
diet of aquatic top predators with overlapping habitats at stocking sites of
European sturgeons, transcending national boundaries, will uncover possible
conservation concerns, conflicts of species-specific management interests and
reintroduction success of European sturgeons.
The open access publication is available here: https://doi.org/10.3354/esr01342
Please do get in touch if you have any questions (eileen.he...@outlook.com).
Thank you very much,
Eileen
On behalf of all the co-authors
Eileen Hesse
Research associate & PhD candidate
ITAW | Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research
University for Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation
eileen.he...@outlook.com
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