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Buckley, J. and B. Kynard (1985). Habitat use and behavior of pre-spawning and spawning shortnose sturgeon, Acipenser brevirostrum, in the Connecticut River. Pages 111-117 in F. P. Binkowski and S. I. Doroshov, eds. North American Sturgeons, W. Junk Publishers, Dordrecht, Netherlands.

Movements and ecology of pre-spawning and spawning shortnose sturgeon, Habitat use and behavior of pre-spawning and spawning shortnose sturgeon, Acipenser brevirostrum, in the Connecticut River, were studied through 1979-1982 in a 2 km reach of the Connecticut River. Radio telemetry was used to monitor the movements of 18 sturgeon. An additional 165 sturgeon, captured by gillnets, provided information on spawning site selection, sex ratio, and reproductive condition. For 3 years the mean water velocities during the spawning period ranged from 0.36 to 1.2 m sec^-1 in the spawning area. Substrate was cobble and rubble. Sturgeon spawned over a short time period (3-5 days), during decreasing river discharge of 679 to 301 m³ sec^-1 and rising water temperature between 11.5 to 14.0 °C. High river discharge over a prolonged period during the normal spawning season may preclude reproduction.