Little is known about the distribution and ecology of juvenile green sturgeon throughout their range and specifically within California’s Central Valley and the San Francisco Bay Estuary. The objective of our study was to identify rearing movement patterns of juvenile green sturgeon and their interaction with Delta and Bay habitats. Acoustic biotelemetry was used to record juvenile movements and residence within different regions of this highly modified watershed. We document a diversity of movements exhibited by 31 acoustically tagged juvenile green sturgeon monitored over a 9-month period. The juvenile sturgeon either (1) remained in the Delta or moved (2) into the Carquinez Straits, (3) into San Pablo Bay, (4) into San Pablo Bay but returned to Delta, (5) through the estuary and likely left through the mouth of the bay, (6) or left the estuary only to return later. Spatiotemporal habitat quality varies within and between Delta and Bay habitats. Variation in water year and hydrologic connectivity are likely to influence habitat quality and quantity, and behaviors may be differentially optimized for fitness in response to environmental variation. Our results provide initial evidence supporting multiple behavioral movement patterns and a broad use of regional habitats for green sturgeon in the California Central Valley. This apparent behavioral diversity observed through movement patterns may ensure long-term success of all population segments over time in an extremely variable environment, ultimately supporting overall population stability (i.e., the portfolio effect). Enhanced conservation efforts may be needed to protect juvenile green sturgeon and the habitats they rely upon.

对幼年绿鲟在整个范围内的分布和生态学知之甚少，特别是在加利福尼亚中央山谷和旧金山湾河口内。我们研究的目的是确定幼年绿鲟的饲养运动模式及其与三角洲和海湾栖息地的相互作用。声学生物遥测技术被用来记录这个高度改造的流域不同区域内的青少年活动和居住情况。我们记录了 9 个月期间监测的 31 条声学标记的幼年绿鲟所表现出的各种运动。幼鱼要么 (1) 留在三角洲，要么 (2) 进入卡奎内斯海峡，(3) 进入圣巴勃罗湾，(4) 进入圣巴勃罗湾但返回三角洲，(5) 穿过河口并可能离开通过海湾口，(6) 或离开河口后才返回。三角洲和海湾栖息地内部和之间的时空栖息地质量不同。水年和水文连通性的变化可能会影响栖息地的质量和数量，并且可能会针对环境变化对行为进行差异化优化。我们的研究结果提供了支持多种行为运动模式和广泛使用加利福尼亚中央山谷绿色鲟鱼区域栖息地的初步证据。通过运动模式观察到的这种明显的行为多样性可以确保所有人口群体在极端多变的环境中随着时间的推移取得长期成功，最终支持整体人口稳定性（即投资组合效应）。