Dr. Pat Braaten is a Research Fish Biologist at the Columbia Environmental Research Center's Fort Peck Field Research Station.
Science and Products
Comprehensive Sturgeon Research Project Blog - 2018
The USGS Comprehensive Sturgeon Research Project is a multi-year, interdisciplinary research study to determine factors leading to spawning and survival of the endangered pallid sturgeon and the closely related shovelnose sturgeon.
Comprehensive Sturgeon Research Project Blog - 2021
Comprehensive Sturgeon Research Project Blog - 2020
Comprehensive Sturgeon Research Project Blog - 2019
Adult Pallid Sturgeon Reproductive Ecology
Comprehensive Sturgeon Research Project Blog - 2016
The USGS Comprehensive Sturgeon Research Project is a multi-year, interdisciplinary research study to determine factors leading to spawning and survival of the endangered pallid sturgeon and the closely related shovelnose sturgeon.
Comprehensive Sturgeon Research Project (CSRP)
Comprehensive Sturgeon Research Project Blog - 2017
The USGS Comprehensive Sturgeon Research Project is a multi-year, interdisciplinary research study to determine factors leading to spawning and survival of the endangered pallid sturgeon and the closely related shovelnose sturgeon.
Invertebrates enumerated from the diets of larval pallid sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus albus) and shovelnose sturgeon (S. platorynchus) in the Upper Missouri River, Montana and North Dakota in 2019
Pallid sturgeon free embryo drift and dispersal experiment data from the Upper Missouri River, Montana and North Dakota, 2019
Haploid gynogens facilitate disomic marker development in paleotetraploid sturgeons
Diet composition and overlap of larval pallid sturgeon and shovelnose sturgeon from the upper Missouri River, USA
Catch rates for sturgeon chubs and sicklefin chubs in the Upper Missouri River 2004–2016 and correlations with biotic and abiotic variables
Improved genetic identification of acipenseriform embryos with application to the endangered pallid sturgeon Scaphirhynchus albus
Evaluating flow management as a strategy to recover an endangered sturgeon species in the Upper Missouri River, USA
Status of knowledge of the Pallid Sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus albus Forbes and Richardson, 1905)
Ecological requirements for pallid sturgeon reproduction and recruitment in the Missouri River—Annual report 2014
Ecological requirements for pallid sturgeon reproduction and recruitment in the Missouri River—Annual report 2013
Ecological requirements for pallid sturgeon reproduction and recruitment in the Missouri River—A synthesis of science, 2005 to 2012
Age estimations of wild pallid sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus albus, Forbes & Richardson 1905) based on pectoral fin spines, otoliths and bomb radiocarbon: inferences on recruitment in the dam-fragmented Missouri River
Migrations and swimming capabilities of endangered pallid sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus albus) to guide passage designs in the fragmented Yellowstone River
Novel single-nucleotide polymorphism markers confirm successful spawning of endangered pallid sturgeon in the upper Missouri River Basin
Science and Products
- Science
Comprehensive Sturgeon Research Project Blog - 2018
The USGS Comprehensive Sturgeon Research Project is a multi-year, interdisciplinary research study to determine factors leading to spawning and survival of the endangered pallid sturgeon and the closely related shovelnose sturgeon.
Comprehensive Sturgeon Research Project Blog - 2021
The USGS Comprehensive Sturgeon Research Project is a multi-year, interdisciplinary research study to determine factors leading to spawning and survival of the endangered pallid sturgeon and the closely related shovelnose sturgeon.Comprehensive Sturgeon Research Project Blog - 2020
The USGS Comprehensive Sturgeon Research Project is a multi-year, interdisciplinary research study to determine factors leading to spawning and survival of the endangered pallid sturgeon and the closely related shovelnose sturgeon.Comprehensive Sturgeon Research Project Blog - 2019
The USGS Comprehensive Sturgeon Research Project is a multi-year, interdisciplinary research study to determine factors leading to spawning and survival of the endangered pallid sturgeon and the closely related shovelnose sturgeon.Adult Pallid Sturgeon Reproductive Ecology
CERC fish biologists study migrations, reproductive cues, and spawning behaviors of reproductive wild and hatchery-origin pallid sturgeon (HOPS) in the Missouri River Basin.Comprehensive Sturgeon Research Project Blog - 2016
The USGS Comprehensive Sturgeon Research Project is a multi-year, interdisciplinary research study to determine factors leading to spawning and survival of the endangered pallid sturgeon and the closely related shovelnose sturgeon.
Comprehensive Sturgeon Research Project (CSRP)
The Comprehensive Sturgeon Research Project (CSRP) is a multidisciplinary project conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Missouri River Recovery Program–Integrated Science Program. CERC scientists are working with river scientists and managers to develop methods, baseline information, and research approaches that are critical contributions to recovery success of the...Comprehensive Sturgeon Research Project Blog - 2017
The USGS Comprehensive Sturgeon Research Project is a multi-year, interdisciplinary research study to determine factors leading to spawning and survival of the endangered pallid sturgeon and the closely related shovelnose sturgeon.
- Data
Invertebrates enumerated from the diets of larval pallid sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus albus) and shovelnose sturgeon (S. platorynchus) in the Upper Missouri River, Montana and North Dakota in 2019
An inventory (enumeration and taxonomic identification) of diet items consumed by wild-caught larval pallid sturgeon and larval shovelnose sturgeon, based on the examination of gut contents from fish that were collected in the Upper Missouri River drainage of the U.S.Pallid sturgeon free embryo drift and dispersal experiment data from the Upper Missouri River, Montana and North Dakota, 2019
The data set contains sampling data, catch data, and biological data associated with a broad-scale experiment to examine free embryo dispersal and larval settlement of endangered pallid sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus albus) in the Missouri River of eastern Montana and western North Dakota. On 20190701, two age groups of pallid sturgeon including 771,707 1-day post-hatch (dph) free embryos and 200,786 5- - Publications
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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 oAuthorsRichard Jr Flamio, Dominic G Swift, David S Portnoy, Kimberly Chojnacki, Aaron J. Delonay, Jeffrey Powell, Patrick Braaten, Edward J. HeistDiet 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 2AuthorsColt Taylor Holley, Patrick Braaten, Barry Poulton, Edward J. Heist, Levi Umland, Tyler M. HaddixCatch 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 ofAuthorsPatrick Braaten, David B. Fuller, Tyler M. Haddix, John R. Hunziker, Michael E. Colvin, Luke M. Holmquist, Ryan H. WilsonImproved 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 attemptAuthorsTom Kashiwagi, Aaron J. Delonay, Patrick Braaten, Kimberly Chojnacki, Rachel M. Gocker, Edward J. HeistEvaluating 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 differenAuthorsSusannah O. Erwin, Edward A. Bulliner, Craig J Fischenich, Robert B. Jacobson, Patrick Braaten, Aaron J. DelonayStatus 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 requiremenAuthorsG. R. Jordan, E.J. Heist, Patrick Braaten, Aaron J. Delonay, P. Hartfield, D.P. Herzog, K.M. Kappenman, M.A.H. WebEcological requirements for pallid sturgeon reproduction and recruitment in the Missouri River—Annual report 2014
The Comprehensive Sturgeon Research Project is a multiyear, multiagency collaborative research framework developed to provide information to support pallid sturgeon recovery and Missouri River management decisions. The project strategy integrates field and laboratory studies of sturgeon reproductive ecology, early life history, habitat requirements, and physiology. The project scope of work is devAuthorsAaron J. Delonay, Kimberly A. Chojnacki, Robert B. Jacobson, Patrick J. Braaten, Kevin J. Buhl, Caroline M. Elliott, Susannah O. Erwin, Jacob D.A. Faulkner, James S. Candrl, David B. Fuller, Kenneth M. Backes, Tyler M. Haddix, Matthew L. Rugg, Christopher J. Wesolek, Brandon L. Eder, Gerald E. MestlEcological requirements for pallid sturgeon reproduction and recruitment in the Missouri River—Annual report 2013
The Comprehensive Sturgeon Research Project is a multiyear, multiagency collaborative research framework developed to provide information to support pallid sturgeon recovery and Missouri River management decisions. The project strategy integrates field and laboratory studies of pallid sturgeon reproductive ecology, early life history, habitat requirements, and physiology. The project scope of workAuthorsAaron J. Delonay, Robert B. Jacobson, Kimberly A. Chojnacki, Patrick J. Braaten, Kevin J. Buhl, Brandon L Eder, Caroline M. Elliott, Susannah O. Erwin, David B. Fuller, Tyler M. Haddix, Hallie L.A. Ladd, Gerald E. Mestl, Diana M. Papoulias, Jason C. Rhoten, Christopher J. Wesolek, Mark L. WildhaberEcological requirements for pallid sturgeon reproduction and recruitment in the Missouri River—A synthesis of science, 2005 to 2012
This report is intended to synthesize the state of the scientific understanding of pallid sturgeon ecological requirements to provide recommendations for future science directions and context for Missouri River restoration and management decisions. Recruitment of pallid sturgeon has been low to non-existent throughout its range. Emerging understanding of the genetic structure of pallid sturgeon poAuthorsAaron J. Delonay, Kimberly A. Chojnacki, Robert B. Jacobson, Janice L. Albers, Patrick J. Braaten, Edward A. Bulliner, Caroline M. Elliott, Susannah O. Erwin, David B Fuller, Justin D. Haas, Hallie L.A. Ladd, Gerald E. Mestl, Diana M. Papoulias, Mark L. WildhaberAge estimations of wild pallid sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus albus, Forbes & Richardson 1905) based on pectoral fin spines, otoliths and bomb radiocarbon: inferences on recruitment in the dam-fragmented Missouri River
An extant stock of wild pallid sturgeon Scaphirhynchus albus persists in the fragmented upper Missouri River basin of Montana and North Dakota. Although successful spawning and hatch of embryos has been verified, long-term catch records suggest that recruitment has not occurred for several decades as the extant stock lacks juvenile size classes and is comprised exclusively of large, presumably oldAuthorsP. J. Braaten, S. E. Campana, D. B. Fuller, R. D. Lott, R. M. Bruch, G. R. JordanMigrations and swimming capabilities of endangered pallid sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus albus) to guide passage designs in the fragmented Yellowstone River
Fragmentation of the Yellowstone River is hypothesized to preclude recruitment of endangered Scaphirhynchus albus (pallid sturgeon) by impeding upstream spawning migrations and access to upstream spawning areas, thereby limiting the length of free-flowing river required for survival of early life stages. Building on this hypothesis, the reach of the Yellowstone River affected by Intake Diversion DAuthorsP. J. Braaten, Caroline M. Elliott, Jason C. Rhoten, D. B. Fuller, Brandon J. McElroyNovel single-nucleotide polymorphism markers confirm successful spawning of endangered pallid sturgeon in the upper Missouri River Basin
Spawning of the federally endangered Pallid Sturgeon Scaphirhynchus albus is known to occur in the upper Missouri River basin, but progeny from natural reproductive events have not been observed and recruitment to juvenile or adult life stages has not been documented in recent decades. Identification of Pallid Sturgeon progeny is confounded by the fact that Shovelnose Sturgeon S. platorynchus occuAuthorsJennifer S. Eichelberger, P. J. Braaten, D. B. Fuller, Matthew S. Krampe, Edward J. Heist