Introduction : The decline of the North American species / Inga Saffron -- Native American utilization of sturgeon / Tim E. Holzkamm and Leo G. Waisberg -- Distribution, habitat, and movements / Jennifer A. Wilson and R. Scott McKinley -- Environmental requirements, preferences, and tolerance limits of North American Sturgeons / Joseph J. Cech Jr. and Serge I. Doroshov -- The ecology and functional morphology of feeding of North American sturgeon and paddlefish / Michael J. Miller -- Sturgeon ecomorphology : a descriptive approach / P. Vecsei and D. Peterson -- Embryology / Jessica A. Bolker -- Swimming and respiration / Stephan J. Peake -- Sturgeon and paddlefish metabolism / Thomas D. Singer and James S. Ballantyne -- Growth, bioenergetics and age / G.T.O. LeBreton and F.W. (Bill) H. Beamish -- Genetics of North American Acipenseriformes / Michael R. Robinson and Moira M. Ferguson -- Multijurisdictional management of lake sturgeon in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River / Nancy J. Léonard, William W. Taylor, and Christopher Goddard -- Conservation / Nancy A. Auer -- Aquaculture / Joel P. Van Eenennaam, Frank A. Chapman and Peter L. Jarvis -- Conclusion : Ensuring the future of sturgeon / Kevin G. Butterworth and Nancy J. Léonard