Biology, Conservation and Sustainable Development of Sturgeons (Fish & Fisheries Series Book 29)

Sturgeons are considered "living fossils", sharing many morphological and biological features with ancestral fish. Furthermore, sturgeons are of the utmost interest from an economic perspective, not only for the caviar but for flesh, too. However, the wild populations of the majority of the species are at serious risk of extinction all over the world. So, it is urgent to develop strategies for both farming culture and conservation and recovery in natural habitats. This book provides a comprehensive view of the biology and sustainable development of these fish putting emphasis on the Southern Europe autochthonous species such as Acipenser nacarii and Acipenser sturio that share geographical distribution. Other relevant species (such as Huso huso, A. oxyrhinchus, A. ruthenus, A. stellatus) and areas (Germany, Russia, North America) are also considered. The contents are organised in three sections: Taxonomy and Biogeography (including the morphological and genetic analyses that clarify the taxonomy and phylogeny of sturgeons, focused on those from Southern Europe), Biology and Aquaculture (where several aspects of the developmental biology, feeding, and reproduction are considered in relation to the improvement of sturgeon farming), and Recovery and Conservation (that collates and analyses different recovery research actions, the ecology of the rivers for restoration as well as the problems related to the trade of caviar). The Regression Of Sturgeons In Southern Europe / J.a. Hernando [and Others] -- Analysis Of Mitochondrial And Nuclear Dna Markers In Old Museum Sturgeons Yield Insights About The Species Existing In Western Europe : A. Sturio, A. Naccarii And A. Oxyrinchus / Manuel A. Garrido-ramos [and Others] -- Morphological And Morphometric Characters In Sturgeon Taxonomy And Phylogeny / Ekaterina D. Vasil'eva -- Molecular Markers And The Study Of Phylogeny And Genetic Diversity In North American Sturgeons And Paddlefish / Jeannette Krieger And Paul A. Fuerst -- Forensic Strategies Used For Dna Extraction Of Ancient And Degraded Museum Sturgeon Specimens / E. Martinez-espin [and Others] -- Mechanisms Of Polyploid Evolution In Fish : Polyploidy In Sturgeons / Victor Vasil'ev -- Histological, Histochemical And Ultrastructural Changes In The Digestive Tract Of Sturgeon Acipenser Naccarii During Early Ontogeny / M.v. Ostos-garrido [and Others] --^ The Developmental Anatomy Of The Heart Of The Sturgeon Acipenser Naccarii / J.m. Icardo [and Others] -- Observations On The Brain Development Of The Sturgeon Acipenser Naccarii / A. Gómez [and Others] -- Hormonal Induction Of Ovulation In Vitro In Sturgeon Fishes / B.f. Goncharov [and Others] -- Dispermic Androgenesis As A Method For Recovery Of Endangered Sturgeon Species / Anna S. Grunina [and Others] -- Influence Of Temperature On The Sterlet (acipenser Ruthenus L.) Ovarian Follicles State / B.f. Goncharov [and Others] -- On Nutrition And Feeding Studies As The Basis For The Culture Of Different Sturgeon Species / M. García-gallego [and Others] -- Restoration Of Adriatic Sturgeon (acipenser Naccarii) In Italy : Situation And Perspectives / Giovanni Arlati And Lidia Poliakova -- Acipenser Sturio Recovery Research Actions In France / P. Williot [and Others] -- Conservation Of The Sturgeon Fish In Lower Volga / S.a. Maltsev --^ Experience Of Conservation Of Acipenser Naccarii In The Ticino River Park (northern Italy) / Cesare M. Puzzi [and Others] -- Identification Of Sturgeon Caviar Using Dna Markers / Manuel Ruiz Rejón [and Others] -- International Trade In Caviar And Business Perspectives In Russia / A.i. Nikolaev [and Others] -- The Ecological Problems Of Introduction And Reintroduction Of Sturgeons / V.a. Pegasov -- Hydrological And Production Characteristics Of The Main Basins For Reproduction And Fattening Of Sturgeons / B.n. Kotenev -- Towards The Definition Of Optimal Size-weight Standards Of Hatchery-reared Sturgeon Fry For Restoration / I.a. Burtsev -- Acceptability And Prerequisites For The Successful Introduction Of Sturgeon Species / P. Williot, E. Rochard, And F. Kirschbaum -- Prerequisites For The Restoration Of The European Atlantic Sturgeon, Acipenser Sturio And The Baltic Sturgeon (a. Oxyrinchus X A. Sturio) In Germany / Frank Kirschbaum [and Others] --^ Sturgeon Recovery Plan In The Rhone River (france) : Preliminary Results On Species Determination And Habitat Suitability / Laurent Brosse [and Others] -- Main Steps And Proposals For A Recovery Plan Of Sturgeon In The Guadalquivir River (spain) / Alberto Domezain. Ramón Carmona ... [et Al.], Editors. Includes Papers Presented At The Workshop, Bioresturgeons, Held In Granada, Spain, In Nov. 2005. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Front Matter....Pages i-xviii The Regression of Sturgeons in Southern Europe....Pages 3-23 Analysis of Mitochondrial and Nuclear DNA Markers in Old Museum Sturgeons Yield Insights About the Species Existing in Western Europe: A. sturio, A. naccarii and A. oxyrinchus ....Pages 25-49 Morphological and Morphometric Characters in Sturgeon Taxonomy and Phylogeny....Pages 51-61 Molecular Markers and the Study of Phylogeny and Genetic Diversity in North American Sturgeons and Paddlefish....Pages 63-83 Forensic Strategies Used for DNA Extraction of Ancient and Degraded Museum Sturgeon Specimens....Pages 85-96 Mechanisms of Polyploid Evolution in Fish: Polyploidy in Sturgeons....Pages 97-117 Histological, Histochemical and Ultrastructural Changes in the Digestive Tract of Sturgeon Acipenser naccarii During Early Ontogeny....Pages 121-136 The Developmental Anatomy of the Heart of the Sturgeon Acipenser naccarii ....Pages 137-153 Observations on the Brain Development of the Sturgeon Acipenser naccarii ....Pages 155-174 Hormonal Induction of Ovulation In Vitro in Sturgeon Fishes....Pages 175-185 Dispermic Androgenesis as a Method for Recovery of Endangered Sturgeon Species....Pages 187-204 Influence of Temperature on the Sterlet ( Acipenser ruthenus L. ) Ovarian Follicles State....Pages 205-214 On Nutrition and Feeding Studies as the Basis for the Culture of Different Sturgeon Species....Pages 215-234 Restoration of Adriatic Sturgeon ( Acipenser naccarii ) in Italy: Situation and Perspectives....Pages 237-245 Acipenser sturio Recovery Research Actions in France....Pages 247-263 Conservation of the Sturgeon Fish in Lower Volga....Pages 265-273 Experience of Conservation of Acipenser naccarii in the Ticino River Park (Northern Italy)....Pages 275-298 Identification of Sturgeon Caviar Using DNA Markers....Pages 299-319 International Trade in Caviar and Business Perspectives in Russia....Pages 321-337 The Ecological Problems of Introduction and Reintroduction of Sturgeons....Pages 339-343 Hydrological and Production Characteristics of the Main Basins for Reproduction and Fattening of Sturgeons....Pages 345-357 Towards the Definition of Optimal Size-Weight Standards of Hatchery-Reared Sturgeon Fry for Restoration....Pages 359-368 Acceptability and Prerequisites for the Successful Introduction of Sturgeon Species....Pages 369-384 Prerequisites for the Restoration of the European Atlantic Sturgeon, Acipenser sturio and the Baltic Sturgeon ( A. oxyrinchus × A. sturio ) in Germany....Pages 385-401 Sturgeon Recovery Plan in the Rhône River (France): Preliminary Results on Species Determination and Habitat Suitability....Pages 403-421 Main Steps and Proposals for a Recovery Plan of Sturgeon in the Guadalquivir River (Spain)....Pages 423-452 Back Matter....Pages 453-467 Sturgeons are considered “living fossils”, sharing many morphological and biological features with ancestral fish. Furthermore, sturgeons are of the utmost interest from an economic perspective, not only for the caviar but for the flesh. However, the wild populations of the majority of the species are at serious risk of extinction all over the world. So, it is urgent to develop strategies for both farming culture and conservation and recovery in natural habitats. This book provides a comprehensive view of the biology and sustainable development of sturgeons putting emphasis on the Southern Europe autochthonous species such as Acipenser nacarii and Acipenser sturio that share geographical distribution. Other relevant species (such as Huso huso, A. oxyrhinchus, A. ruthenus, A. stellatus) and areas (Germany, Russia, North America) are also considered. The contents are organised in three sections: Taxonomy and Biogeography (including the morphological and genetic analyses that clarify the taxonomy and phylogeny of sturgeons, focused on those from Southern Europe), Biology and Aquaculture (where several aspects of the developmental biology, feeding, and reproduction are considered in relation to the improvement of sturgeon farming), and Recovery and Conservation (that collates and analyses different recovery research actions, the ecology of the rivers for restoration as well as the problems related to the trade of caviar).