Data from: Intra-specific variation in responses to habitat restoration: Could artificial reefs increase spatiotemporal segregation between migratory phenotypes of lake sturgeon?

Habitat restoration is an important tool used to conserve biodiversity and
restore species, but its effects are notoriously difficult to predict.
Although outcomes of restoration projects are usually assessed using
indices of species abundance and diversity, phenotypic differences among
individuals within species are likely associated with differing responses
to restored habitats. Here, we use lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) as
a case study to illustrate how responses to habitat restoration can differ
between phenotypes and potentially lead to unanticipated effects on
populations. North America’s St. Clair River supports one of the largest
remaining populations of lake sturgeon but has lost much spawning habitat
due to its role as a major industrial corridor between the Laurentian
Great Lakes Erie and Huron. Two artificial reefs were recently built in
the lower and middle segments of the river to increase the available
sturgeon spawning habitat. Interestingly, lake sturgeon in the St. Clair
River express different migratory phenotypes that may be associated with
different likelihoods of colonizing artificial reefs. Acoustic telemetry
revealed that artificial reefs were more likely to be used by sturgeon
that migrated downstream to overwinter in Lake St. Clair than those that
migrated upstream to overwinter in Lake Huron. Furthermore, increasing
time spent at the artificial reefs by Lake St. Clair migrants was
associated with later arrival to and shorter occupancy of the river’s only
natural spawning site, the primary location where the two phenotypes have
opportunity to interbreed. Additional research is necessary to determine
the ultimate impacts of the artificial reefs on lake sturgeon populations;
nevertheless, our study showed phenotype-specific opportunity to colonize
restored habitat and a mechanism through which this could lead to changes
in gene flow. Our results illustrate the importance of considering
intra-specific diversity when planning restoration projects and assessing
the effects on populations.