Undergraduate Research, Dept. of Marine Science August 2011 – May 2015
University of New England – Biddeford ME
At UNE, I investigated the diet, prey availability, and movement patterns of Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus) in the Saco River estuary, Maine. Gastric lavage, a non-lethal way of sampling stomach contents, was used to identify important prey species while benthic sediment grabs, beam and otter trawls, and beach seines were used to characterize the macrofaunal community within the Saco River estuary. Acoustic telemetry was used to understand where sturgeon movements were most concentrated within the estuary and bay and if movements were correlated with foraging preference.
Turns out sturgeon love to eat sand lance (Ammodytes americanus), and loads of them! Sand lance like sand (big surprise) and both species are most concentrated at the mouth of the Saco River where there is plenty of sand for sand lance and plenty of sand lance for sturgeon.
University of New England – Biddeford ME
At UNE, I investigated the diet, prey availability, and movement patterns of Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus) in the Saco River estuary, Maine. Gastric lavage, a non-lethal way of sampling stomach contents, was used to identify important prey species while benthic sediment grabs, beam and otter trawls, and beach seines were used to characterize the macrofaunal community within the Saco River estuary. Acoustic telemetry was used to understand where sturgeon movements were most concentrated within the estuary and bay and if movements were correlated with foraging preference.
Turns out sturgeon love to eat sand lance (Ammodytes americanus), and loads of them! Sand lance like sand (big surprise) and both species are most concentrated at the mouth of the Saco River where there is plenty of sand for sand lance and plenty of sand lance for sturgeon.