Geology topics

Patrick Braaten

Publications and source records attributed to Patrick Braaten.

10 recordsLinked to original sources

USGS2025

Water temperature regimes and thermal drivers in semi-natural and flow-regulated rivers of the northern Great Plains

Rivers of the northern Great Plains have lacked long-term, continuous water temperature assessments, and there is limited information on thermal regimes of these systems and factors driving water temperature. We collected and assembled 2001–2022 water temperature data from 18 sites on four reaches of three rivers that differ in anthropogenic impacts: semi-natural Yellowstone River (YR), flow-impacted Milk River (MK), 351-km of the Missouri River affected by hypolimnetic releases from Fort Peck Dam (FPD), and the semi-natural Missouri River (MR3093) upstream from FPD. Objectives were to: (1) compare May–September mean daily water temperature ( T w ), day of year of maximum water temperature ( T maxdoy ), and maximum water temperature ( T wmax ) among reaches, (2) evaluate air temperature ( T a ), river discharge ( Q w ), and dam-release water temperature ( T wdam ) as T w drivers, and (3) model longitudinal recovery of T w downstream from FPD. Mean T w and T wmax were greatest at the YR, MR3093 and MK sites, and significantly less through 291-km downstream from FPD. T maxdoy at initial sites downstream from FPD was delayed 43–69 days relative to the semi-natural reach upstream from FPD. T a was the primary correlate of T w for the semi-natural sites; whereas, T wdam and T a varied inversely as primary drivers for sites downstream from FPD. Thermal recovery from hypolimnetic releases was incomplete 291-km downstream from FPD and warming persisted 351-km downstream. Results quantify the varied water temperature regimes of rivers in the northern Great Plains and improve understanding of controls affecting T w among reaches. Water temperature attributes of semi-natural reaches could be used as restoration targets for 300-km of Missouri River presently impacted by hypolimnetic releases.

Montana, North Dakota↗

USGS2024

Warmwater fish in rivers

In addition to the gears described in the previous version, this edition includes an updated water body definition that is inclusive of Mexico and Canada as well as standard methods for the use of cast nets in warmwater rivers. There were organizational changes in the trawling and hoop-net sections to make them consistent with the format for this edition, but the methods themselves have not been changed and no standardized gears (e.g., small-mesh and large-mesh trawls are still both present) have been removed. The diversity of warmwater rivers of North America owes to the mosaic of precipitation and geology spanning the continent from the arid systems of the Sonoran Desert to the humid forests of the Appalachian Mountains. The types of rivers discussed in this chapter are highly variable in size from headwaters to mouth but will include parts of rivers that are nonwadeable and larger. Here, we use this flexible definition because we found that regardless of how we classified a river as a whole, whether through basin area, discharge, or stream order, there is sufficient diversity across North America such that major rivers of some regions would be left out. We, therefore, chose to use site-level characterization because characteristics like target fish species and communities and habitat characteristics like water depth, velocity, and channel geomorphology drive or constrain our decisions in the field about what sampling gear to use rather than overall river or river basin characteristics.

Book chapter↗

USGS2023

Dietary comparison of age-0 sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus sp.) between upper and lower Missouri River basins

Understanding potential limiting factors affecting population growth of the endangered pallid sturgeon, Scaphirhynchus albus, is important in the upper (UMOR) and lower Missouri River (LMOR) basins. The UMOR is upstream of several reservoirs and generally has more natural habitat features, whereas the LMOR is downstream of these reservoirs and has been channelized to support navigation. In both sections, pallid sturgeon recruitment to age-1 is a concern, but hypothesized for different reasons. One hypothesis in the LMOR centers on food limitation for age-0 fish, which is not considered an issue in the UMOR, but evaluating this hypothesis is challenging given the rarity of age-0 pallid sturgeon. As a result, the related, more abundant shovelnose sturgeon ( S. platorhynchus ) has been considered as a potential surrogate to assess food-related hypotheses. Thus, the purpose of our study was to compare diets of age-0 sturgeon captured in 2016 from three reaches in the LMOR (Copeland, Langdon, and Lexington) with individuals captured from a reach in the UMOR (Williston) during the same year to provide additional context regarding potential food limitation in the LMOR. Consumption percentage (prey weight in the gut as a percentage of body weight) was similar among all reaches, but diet composition was different for the most downstream reach in the LMOR. Age-0 sturgeon in the UMOR reach as well as the two upstream LMOR reaches primarily consumed Diptera larvae along with Ephemeroptera nymphs. In contrast, age-0 sturgeon in the most downstream LMOR reach (Lexington) almost exclusively consumed Diptera larvae. These results may provide information on relative differences in prey availability between Lexington and the other upstream reaches but the similarity in consumption percentage values across all reaches provide further evidence that age-0 sturgeon are not food limited in the LMOR.

Upper and lower Missouri River basins↗

USGS2022

Haploid gynogens facilitate disomic marker development in paleotetraploid sturgeons

Acipenseriformes (sturgeons and paddlefishes) are of substantial conservation concern, and development of genomic resources for these species is difficult due to past whole genome duplication. Development of disomic markers for polyploid organisms can be challenging due to difficulty in resolving alleles at a single locus from those among duplicated loci. In this study, we detail the development of disomic markers for the endangered pallid sturgeon ( Scaphirhynchus albus ) found in North America. One of the strategies for pallid sturgeon conservation is to stock U.S. rivers with offspring of pure pallid sturgeon, but introgression with the sympatric shovelnose sturgeon ( S. platorynchus ) threatens pallid sturgeon genetic integrity. Currently, 19 microsatellite loci are used to differentiate between both species and their hybrids, but the markers are insufficient to robustly identify backcrosses. We performed double digest restriction site-associated DNA sequencing (ddRADseq) on shovelnose sturgeon haploid gynogens to produce a reduced-representation genomic reference. Contiguous sequences that were heterozygous within a haploid individual were flagged as potentially encompassing multiple loci. Approximately 60 individuals of each species from two management units were sequenced, and reads were mapped to the haploid reference to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) at individual loci. The final data set contained 11,082 microhaplotyped loci which offer at least an order of magnitude greater resolution for species discrimination than the current panel of 19 microsatellites. These markers will be used to examine a larger sample of Scaphirhynchus individuals throughout their ranges to determine the extent and trajectory of hybridization.

Molecular Ecology Resources↗

USGS2022

Growth and survival rates of dispersing free embryos and settled larvae of pallid sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus albus) in the Missouri River, Montana and North Dakota

We released nearly 1.0 million 1-day post-hatch (dph) and 5-dph pallid sturgeon ( Scaphirhynchus albus ) free embryos in the Missouri River on 1 July 2019 and sequentially captured survivors at multiple sites through a 240-km river reach to quantify daily growth and survival rates during the early life stages. Genetic analysis was used to assign captured fish to released family lots and known ages. Growth rate was similar (0.74–0.75 mm day −1 ) between the 1- and 5-dph age groups during the 3–4-day dispersal period when water temperature averaged 16.8 °C. Daily survival rate was 0.64 during 1–4 dph for the original 1-dph age group and 0.80 during 5–7 dph for the original 5-dph age group. Total survival during free embryo dispersal (hatch to 9 dph) was estimated as 0.0437. The transition from dispersing as free embryos to settling as benthic larvae was verified for fish originally released as 5 dph. Growth of settled larvae was quantified with a Gompertz model through 75 dph (9 September; 112 mm) when water temperature was 18.8–21.0 °C in the rearing areas. Settled larvae had an estimated daily survival rate of 0.96, and estimated total survival during 9–75 dph was 0.0714. This study provides the first empirical survival estimates for pallid sturgeon early life stages in natural settings and is one of few studies reporting similar information for other sturgeon species. Applications of this work extend to pallid sturgeon restoration programs where population models are being developed to predict recruitment potential and population responses to river management alternatives.

Montana, North Dakota↗

USGS2022

Diet composition and overlap of larval pallid sturgeon and shovelnose sturgeon from the upper Missouri River, USA

Early life stages of pallid sturgeon Scaphirhynchus albus are rarely collected, and thus information on their biology and ecology is extremely limited. We sampled 75 larval pallid sturgeon (25-110 mm) and 148 larval shovelnose sturgeon S. platorynchus (15-95 mm) by trawl from the upper Missouri River (USA) in 2019. Stomach contents were identified to compare food use and diet overlap between the 2 sturgeon species at the order, family, and genus levels of taxonomic prey identification. Analyses were conducted with sites pooled and with sites separated by the confluence of the Yellowstone River (upper and lower). Abundance of dominant prey in the gut (Diptera larvae) increased with fish length for both species, and regression slopes were similar. Diet overlap at pooled sites decreased from 0.94 to 0.49 when prey were identified to order and genus, respectively, and decreases in diet overlap at individual sites were more pronounced. Larval pallid sturgeon consumed a maximum of 11 unique taxa, whereas shovelnose sturgeon consumed 6 taxa that were not consumed by pallid sturgeon. These results indicate that larval diets are similar between species when evaluated at coarse taxonomic scales, but at fine taxonomic scales, notable differences exist. As information about the diets of larval pallid sturgeon captured from a riverine environment are scarce and the use of shovelnose sturgeon as an indicator of available suitable food and habitat and as a dietary surrogate for pallid sturgeon has been under consideration, our results suggest that caution be exercised in modeling efforts or management actions relating to surrogacy.

Montana, North Dakota↗

USGS2021

Catch rates for sturgeon chubs and sicklefin chubs in the Upper Missouri River 2004–2016 and correlations with biotic and abiotic variables

A multiweek standardized sampling regime during 2004–2016 in a 60-km reach of the Upper Missouri River assessed reproduction and catch rates for Sturgeon Chub Macrhybopsis gelida and Sicklefin Chub Macrhybopsis meeki . We sampled age-0 Macrhybopsis (primarily Sturgeon Chubs, but potentially including Sicklefin Chubs) all years to indicate successful reproduction, but noted an inverse correlation of catch per unit area (CPUA) with year. There was an inverse correlation for CPUA of age-1+ Sturgeon Chubs with year. There was no correlation for CPUA of age-1+ Sicklefin Chubs with year, but we noted a depression in CPUA during 2010 and 2012. The study reach includes restoration directives for federally endangered Pallid Sturgeon Scaphirhynchus albus , with 245,000 hatchery-origin Pallid Sturgeon (HOPS) stocked since 1998 to supplement the declining wild stock. Pallid Sturgeon longer than 350 mm fork length transition to piscivory and are known to prey on Sturgeon Chubs and Sicklefin Chubs. We examined the hypothesis that mass additions of HOPS to the existing predator community could have population-level effects on the two chub species. Population modeling for the stocked HOPS through time yielded estimates of nearly 1,300 piscivore-sized HOPS in 2004, an increase to 26,000 HOPS in 2012, and decreasing numbers through 2016 (14,500). A negative correlation between HOPS abundance and age-0 Macrhybopsis CPUA had the best support among other candidate variables (discharge, water temperature, catch rates of Sauger Sander canadensis ). We found an inverse correlation for CPUA of age-1+ Sturgeon Chubs and estimated HOPS abundance, and there was also evidence of an inverse association between age-1+ Sicklefin Chub CPUA and HOPS in the study area. Results for a 60-km reach of the Upper Missouri River suggest declining CPUA for age-0 Macrhybopsis and Sturgeon Chubs during 2004–2016 and modest recovery of Sicklefin Chubs after 2012. Although causative factors driving CPUA changes through time are not known, correlative analyses suggest that large numbers of HOPS added to the Missouri River predator community potentially influence CPUA of Sturgeon Chubs and Sicklefin Chubs in the study area. Testing this hypothesis will require expanded quantification of chub populations and HOPS numbers through time.

Montana, North Dakota↗

USGS2020

Improved genetic identification of acipenseriform embryos with application to the endangered pallid sturgeon Scaphirhynchus albus

We produced pallid sturgeon Scaphirhynchus albus embryos at five pre‐hatch developmental stages and isolated and quantified genomic DNA from four of the stages using four commercial DNA isolation kits. Genomic DNA prepared using the kit that produced the largest yields and concentrations were used for microsatellite DNA analyses of 10–20 embryos at each of the five developmental stages. We attempted to genotype the hatchery‐produced embryos at 19 microsatellite loci and confirmed reliable genotyping by comparing the microsatellite genotypes to those of known parents. Embryos at stages 5 and 8 did not produce reliable genotyping while those at stages 14, 24 and 33 did. We used the same DNA isolation method on 262 wild‐caught acipenseriform embryos collected from the lower Yellowstone River. A total of 200 of the wild embryos were successfully identified to stages 8 to 34 and the rest could not be staged. Using a combination of single nucleotide polymorphism and microsatellite markers, 249 of the wild‐caught embryos were genetically identified as paddlefish Polyodon spathula , five were identified as shovelnose sturgeon Scaphirhynchus platorynchus and eight failed to amplify. None were identified as pallid sturgeon. This study demonstrates that early‐stage wild‐spawned acipenseriform embryos can be genetically identified less than 24 h post‐spawn. This methodology will be useful for recovery efforts for endangered pallid sturgeon and can be applied to other acipenseriform species.

Journal of Fish Biology↗

USGS2018

Evaluating flow management as a strategy to recover an endangered sturgeon species in the Upper Missouri River, USA

In the Upper Missouri River, Fort Peck and Garrison Dams limit the length of free‐flowing river available to the endangered pallid sturgeon. These barriers restrict the upstream migration of adults and downstream larval dispersal. A one‐dimensional (1D) modelling framework is currently in use to evaluate reservoir operation alternatives and to simulate drift of dispersing free embryos for different flow regimes and reservoir stages. This paper presents the results of a large‐scale tracer experiment conducted in 2016 and associated modelling performed to evaluate flow management scenarios that might aid species recovery. Breakthrough curves from the tracer experiment were used to infer the 1D longitudinal dispersion coefficient from a parameter optimization procedure. Simulations generated using the calibrated 1D advection–dispersion model were compared with field observations of the passive tracer and with larval fish collected during a previous experiment in 2007. When used with the appropriate range of dispersion coefficients, the 1D modelling framework agrees well with the available direct measurements of larval drift distances. Although we cannot unequivocally state whether insufficient length of free‐flowing river alone is causing recruitment failure, given the current thermal regime and our understanding of pallid sturgeon development, the time required for pallid sturgeon to transition to the benthos and initiate feeding might exceed the duration of drift available given constraints of reservoir operations.

Missouri↗

USGS2016

Status of knowledge of the Pallid Sturgeon ( Scaphirhynchus albus Forbes and Richardson, 1905)

The Pallid Sturgeon is listed as federally endangered under the Endangered Species Act in the United States. When the species was listed in 1990 it was considered extremely rare and was poorly understood. Habitat alteration, commercial harvest, environmental contaminants, and other factors were identified as threats. Today our scientific understanding of the species and its life history requirements have increased greatly as summarized below.

Journal of Applied Ichthyology↗