Lake sturgeon have been on the planet for 150 million years. Despite that long residency, scientists are still learning about these fish, the largest found in North America. An enduring question is what contributes to their survival skills. Answer: Sound. As one factor anyway. Based on biological examinations and detailed field recordings of the infrasonic sounds of this ancient fish, an article in the December 2014 Journal of Applied Ichthyology, bit.ly/1ty3hSw, explains size may be one of the reasons why Wisconsin researchers believe sturgeon, which can reach a weight of more than 200 pounds and exceed 8 feet, achieve sounds so low that most of their energy escapes normal human hearing. The sounds apparently aid reproductive success. “Along with known physical cues from river temperature and substrate, the fish likely combine visual, acoustic and electrical sense information into an adaptable suite of wide-ranging sensory knowledge, a powerful suite of perceptions that has undoubtedly assisted lake sturgeon in successfully propagating their species for 150 million years,” said Chris Bocast, a Ph.D. acoustic ecologist who obtained the field samples while working for Wisconsin Sea Grant as an audio specialist. He is the lead author on the paper, along with Ronald Bruch and Ryan Koenigs, both biologists with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Read more at doorcountydailynews/news/details.cfm?clientid=28&id=154792#.VIW_UjHF_Lk
Posted on: Fri, 12 Dec 2014 12:00:00 +0000
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