Lake Sturgeon

Lake sturgeon were historically found throughout the entire state of Michigan.

Factors that affected the lake sturgeon where:

Habitat Destruction, Dams, and Commercial Fishing

Animals

This website focuses on the lake sturgeon and its relationship with the river ecosystem, but many other animals belong in the river ecosystem as well.

Here are a few:

Wood turtle, Beaver, Bald Eagle, Great Blue Heron

Dams

Dams can have large affects on the river ecosystem.

They may affect:

Stream Flow, River Temperature, Migration Routes, and Sedimentation

Native Fish

There are many other native fish species found in the river ecosystem.

Here are a couple:

Brook Trout, White Sucker

Surviving the River

Lake sturgeon, like many other animals, need certain conditions to survive.

Here are a few factors that may help sturgeon larvae become adults:

Spawning Habitat: Large Rocks, High Flow

Larvae: Low Predation

Juveniles: Suitable Habitat, Low Predation

Exotic Species

There are many exotic plants and animals that can be found in the river ecosystem. It is important that the positive and negative impacts of these species are considered when trying to protect this ecosystem.

Here are a few:

Brown Trout, Chinook Salmon, Purple Loosestrife, Sea Lamprey

Click on the topic links to go back and review what you have learned.