The Ecology of Marine Fishes


Book Description

Marine fishes have been intensively studied, and some of the fundamental ideas in the science of marine ecology have emerged from the body of knowledge derived from this diverse group of organisms. This unique, authoritative, and accessible reference, compiled by 35 luminary ecologists, evolutionary biologists, and ichthyologists, provides a synthesis and interpretation of the large, often daunting, body of information on the ecology of marine fishes. The focus is on the fauna of the eastern Pacific, especially the fishes of the California coast, a group among the most diverse and best studied of all marine ecosystems. A generously illustrated and comprehensive source of information, this volume will also be an important launching pad for future research and will shed new light on the study of marine fish ecology worldwide. The contributors touch on many fields in biology, including physiology, development, genetics, behavior, ecology, and evolution. The book includes sections on the history of research, both published and unpublished data, sections on collecting techniques, and references to important earlier studies.




Migration Ecology of Marine Fishes


Book Description

A synthetic treatment of all marine fish taxa (teleosts and elasmobranchs), this book employs explanatory frameworks from avian and systems ecology while arguing that migrations are emergent phenomena, structured through schooling, phenotypic plasticity, and other collective agencies. The book provides overviews of the following concepts: The comparative movement ecology of fishes and birds; The alignment of mating systems with larval dispersal; Schooling and migration as adaptations to marine food webs; Natal homing; Connectivity in populations and metapopulations; The contribution of migration ecology to population resilience




Ecology of the Marine Fishes of Cuba


Book Description

Situated at the convergence of the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea, and the Gulf of Mexico, Cuba's coastal waters are home to one of the most diverse fish faunas in the Western Hemisphere. However, until now, information in English about Cuban marine fishes and their habitats has been limited. This comprehensive guide to the region's fishes fills that void. Originally published in Spanish in 1994, Ecology of the Marine Fishes of Cuba has been completely updated and revised for this English edition. The book collects and expands on the findings of more than 20 years of work by and international team of ichthyologists and marine biologists studying the coastal fishes and habitats of Cuba. In chapters arranged topically, the thirteen contributors detail the physical characteristics of the Cuban coast; document the physiology, behavior, reproduction, feeding patterns, and growth patterns of the region's fishes; and survey Cuba's fisheries management programs. The result is an unparalleled integration of English- and Spanish-language references on coastal fishes of the western Atlantic, complete with a comprehensive bibliography that constitutes a valuable reference in its own right. The extensive information presented here establishes an important foundation for comparisons of regional biological variations and demonstrates the need for proactive habitat and fishery management policies in the area.




Fish Ecology


Book Description

This book introduces the ecology of fishes by describing the inter-relationships between fishes and the aquatic habitats they occupy. It can be read in complementary ways. A sequential reading, chapter by chapter, covers the main themes of ecology, including habitat use, species interactions, migration, feeding, population dynamics and reproduction in realtion to the major habitats occupied by fishes. An alternative reading selects a particular sort of habitat, such as rivers, and by skipping from chapter to chapter, builds up a picture of the ecology of fishes living in that habitat. "Fish Ecology" is written for students in marine ecology, freshwater ecology, fish biology, fisheries ecology and aquaculture.




Deep-Sea Fishes


Book Description

A comprehensive account of deep-sea fishes, covering evolution, ecology and the potential threats posed by the growing fishing industry.




Ecology and Conservation of Fishes


Book Description

Written as a stand-alone textbook for students and a useful reference for professionals in government and private agencies, academic institutions, and consultants, Ecology and Conservation of Fishes provides broad, comprehensive, and systematic coverage of all aquatic systems from the mountains to the oceans. The book begins with overview discussions on the ecology, evolution, and diversity of fishes. It moves on to address freshwater, estuarine, and marine ecosystems and identifies factors that affect the distribution and abundance of fishes. It then examines the adaptations of fishes as a response to constraints posed in ecosystems. The book concludes with four chapters on applied ecology to discuss the critical issues of management, conservation, biodiversity crises, and climate change. Major marine fisheries have collapsed, and there are worldwide declines in freshwater fish populations. Fishery scientists and managers must become more effective at understanding and dealing with resource issues. If not, fish species, communities, and entire ecosystems will continue to decline as habitats change and species are lost. Ecology and Conservation of Fishes has taken a historical and functional approach to explain how we got where we are, providing old and new with a better foundation as ecologists and conservationists, and most importantly, it awakens senses of purpose and need. Past management practices are reviewed, present programs considered, and the need for incorporating principles of applied ecology in future practices is emphasized.




Ecology of Estuarine Fishes


Book Description

This comprehensive reference book details the life history and ecology of the fish species that occupy the estuarine and coastal habitats along the eastern United States and Canada. Kenneth W. Able and Michael P. Fahay draw on their own studies and other research to summarize and synthesize all the known facts about the ecology of 93 important species of fish that inhabit the temperate waters of the Western Atlantic. Presented in individual chapters, the species accounts include complete information about each fish's distribution, habitat use, reproduction, development, migratory patterns, prey, and predators and other natural enemies. The species accounts are illustrated and include lifecycle calendars, tables, and charts highlighting key information. Introductory chapters provide the general characteristics of the temperate ichthyofauna and explain the authors' methodology. Featuring new information based on more than 76,000 samples, novel long-term data, and an exhaustive analysis of more than 1,800 references, this invaluable resource is a complete compendium on estuarine fishes of the Western North Atlantic.




Ecology of North American Freshwater Fishes


Book Description

The North American freshwater fish fauna is the most diverse and thoroughly researched temperate fish fauna in the world. Ecology of North American Freshwater Fishes is the only textbook to provide advanced undergraduate and graduate students and researchers with an up-to-date and integrated view of the ecological and evolutionary concepts, principles, and processes involved in the formation and maintenance of this fauna. Ecology of North American Freshwater Fishes provides readers with a broad understanding of why specific species and assemblages occur in particular places. Additionally, the text explores how individuals and species interact with each other and with their environments, how such interactions have been altered by anthropogenic impacts, and the relative success of efforts to restore damaged ecosystems. This book is designed for use in courses related to aquatic and fish ecology, fish biology, ichthyology, and related advanced ecology and conservation courses, and is divided into five sections for ease of use. Chapter summaries, supplemental reading lists, online sources, extensive figures, and color photography are included to guide readers through the material and facilitate student learning. Part 1: Faunal origins, evolution, and diversity Presents a broad pictureÑboth spatially and temporallyÑof the derivation of the fauna, including global and regional geological and climatological processes and their effects on North American fishes. Part 2: Formation, maintenance, and persistence of local populations and assemblages Focuses on how local fish populations and assemblages are formed and how they persist, or not, through time. Part 3: Form and function Deals with the relationship of body form and life history patterns as they are related to ecological functions. Part 4: Interactions among individuals and species Discusses the numerous interactions among individuals and species through communication, competition, predation, mutualism, and facilitation. Part 5: Issues in conservation Focuses on several primary conservation issues such as flow alterations and the increasing biotic homogenization of faunas.




Marine Fisheries Ecology


Book Description

This topical and exciting textbook describes fisheries exploitation, biology, conservation and management, and reflects many recent and important changes in fisheries science. These include growing concerns about the environmental impacts of fisheries, the role of ecological interactions in determining population dynamics, and the incorporation of uncertainty and precautionary principles into management advice. The book draws upon examples from tropical, temperate and polar environments, and provides readers with a broad understanding of the biological, economic and social aspects of fisheries ecology and the interplay between them. As well as covering 'classical' fisheries science, the book focuses on contemporary issues such as industrial fishing, poverty and conflict in fishing communities, marine reserves, the effects of fishing on coral reefs and by-catches of mammals, seabirds and reptiles. The book is primarily written for students of fisheries science and marine ecology, but should also appeal to practicing fisheries scientists and those interested in conservation and the impacts of humans on the marine environment. particularly useful are the modelling chapters which explain the difficult maths involved in a user-friendly manner describes fisheries exploitation, conservation and management in tropical, temperate and polar environments broad coverage of 'clasical' fisheries science emphasis on new approaches to fisheries science and the ecosystem effects of fishing examples based on the latest research and drawn from authors' international experience comprehensively referenced throughout extensively illustrated with photographs and line drawings




Early Life History of Marine Fishes


Book Description

"This is an original, superb synthesis that deserves to adorn the bookshelves of countless biologists in the world. The authors offer unique and original notions on functional morphology of larvae, larval features that play a key role during the evolution of fishes, the different patterns of larval and embryonic differentiation, and the complexities and underlying causation of population dynamics." --Karel F. Liem, Harvard University "The Early Life History of Marine Fishes brings together in one book a useful summary of fish reproduction, and the development, ecology, and dynamics of early life history stages. With additional chapters on identification, systematic, field sampling, and culturing techniques, this book covers a lot of territory."--Lee A. Fuiman, University of Texas at Austin