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).
Author(s): Ramón Carmona, Alberto Domezain, Manuel García Gallego, José Antonio Hernando, Fernando Rodríguez, Manuel Ruiz-Rejón
Series: Fish & Fisheries Series
Edition: 1
Publisher: Springer
Year: 2008
Language: English
Pages: 470
Contents......Page 14
Volume Foreword......Page 5
Foreword......Page 7
Acknowledgements......Page 12
Part I: Taxonomy and Biogeography......Page 18
1. The Regression of Sturgeons in Southern Europe......Page 19
2. Analysis of Mitochondrial and Nuclear DNA Markers in Old Museum Sturgeons Yield Insights About the Species Existing in Western Europe: A. sturio, A. naccariiand A. oxyrinchus......Page 40
3. Morphological and Morphometric Characters in Sturgeon Taxonomy and Phylogeny......Page 65
4. Molecular Markers and the Study of Phylogeny and Genetic Diversity in North American Sturgeons and Paddlefish......Page 76
5. Forensic Strategies Used for DNA Extraction of Ancient and Degraded Museum Sturgeon Specimens......Page 97
6. Mechanisms of Polyploid Evolution in Fish: Polyploidy in Sturgeons......Page 109
Part II: Biology and Aquaculture......Page 130
7. Histological, Histochemical and Ultrastructural Changes in the Digestive Tract of Sturgeon Acipenser naccarii During Early Ontogeny......Page 131
8. The Developmental Anatomy of the Heart of the Sturgeon Acipenser naccarii......Page 147
9. Observations on the Brain Development of the Sturgeon Acipenser naccarii......Page 164
10. Hormonal Induction of Ovulation In Vitro in Sturgeon Fishes......Page 184
11. Dispermic Androgenesis as a Method for Recovery of Endangered Sturgeon Species......Page 195
12. Influence of Temperature on the Sterlet (Acipenser ruthenus L.) Ovarian Follicles State......Page 213
13. On Nutrition and Feeding Studies as the Basis for the Cultureof Different Sturgeon Species......Page 223
Part III: Recovery and Conservation......Page 243
14. Restoration of Adriatic Sturgeon (Acipenser naccarii) in Italy: Situation and Perspectives......Page 244
15. Acipenser sturio Recovery Research Actions in France......Page 253
16. Conservation of the Sturgeon Fish in Lower Volga......Page 270
17. Experience of Conservation of Acipenser naccarii in the Ticino River Park (Northern Italy)......Page 279
18. Identification of Sturgeon Caviar Using DNA Markers......Page 303
19. International Trade in Caviar and Business Perspectives in Russia......Page 324
20. The Ecological Problems of Introduction and Reintroduction of Sturgeons......Page 341
21 Hydrological and Production Characteristics of the Main Basins for Reproduction and Fattening of Sturgeons......Page 346
22. Towards the Definition of Optimal Size-Weight Standards of Hatchery-Reared Sturgeon Fry for Restoration......Page 359
23 Acceptability and Prerequisites for the SuccessfulI ntroduction of Sturgeon Species......Page 369
24. Prerequisites for the Restoration of the European Atlantic Sturgeon, Acipenser sturio and the Baltic Sturgeon (A. oxyrinchus × A. sturio) in Germany......Page 385
25. Sturgeon Recovery Plan in the Rhône River (France):Preliminary Results on Species Determination and Habitat Suitability......Page 402
26. Main Steps and Proposals for a Recovery Plan of Sturgeon in the Guadalquivir River (Spain)......Page 421
Appendix A......Page 451
A......Page 455
C......Page 456
E......Page 457
G......Page 458
I......Page 459
M......Page 460
O......Page 461
R......Page 462
S......Page 463
V......Page 464
Z......Page 465
