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.




Tropical Estuarine Fishes


Book Description

Research on the large array of tropical estuarine fishes has increased markedly in recent years and hence scientific knowledge about most aspects of these important fishes' biology and ecology is now catching up with that of their temperate equivalents. This landmark book draws together a vast wealth of information on tropical estuarine fishes and provides a vital reference point for all aspects of their study. The book's comprehensive contents include thorough coverage of the types and distribution of these fishes, their diversity and the environmental conditions and communities in which they live. Full details of their biology and ecology are an integral part of this book, as are details of these fishes' dependence on estuaries, man's interaction with the estuarine fish community and the conservation of estuarine species and the often threatened habitats upon which they depend. The author, Stephen Blaber, has a vast wealth of experience in the subject areas covered by this book and has produced a stimulating and extremely valuable volume that will be of huge importance for all those concerned with these fishes. He is based at CSIRO Marine Research, Cleveland, Queensland, Australia. Readership should include: fish biologists; fisheries scientists; aquatic scientists including those concerned with brackish, marine and freshwater environments; ecologists; environmental scientists and population biologists. Students studying for qualifications in fish biology and fisheries, particularly where there is a tropical element to their course will find this book of great value as a reference. Copies of the book should be available on the shelves of all libraries in research establishments and universities where biological sciences, fish biology, fisheries science or aquatic sciences are studied and taught.




Estuarine Ecology


Book Description

Estuaries are among the most biologically productive ecosystems on the planet--critical to the life cycles of fish, other aquatic animals, and the creatures which feed on them. Estuarine Ecology, Second Edition, covers the physical and chemical aspects of estuaries, the biology and ecology of key organisms, the flow of organic matter through estuaries, and human interactions, such as the environmental impact of fisheries on estuaries and the effects of global climate change on these important ecosystems. Authored by a team of world experts from the estuarine science community, this long-awaited, full-color edition includes new chapters covering phytoplankton, seagrasses, coastal marshes, mangroves, benthic algae, Integrated Coastal Zone Management techniques, and the effects of global climate change. It also features an entriely new section on estuarine ecosystem processes, trophic webs, ecosystem metabolism, and the interactions between estuaries and other ecosystems such as wetlands and marshes




Fish and Fisheries in Estuaries


Book Description

Das zweibändige Werk Fish and Fisheries in Estuaries: A Global Perspective enthält eine Darstellung des aktuellen Wissensstandes über Fische in Ästuaren. In Beiträgen von mehr als fünfzig international anerkannten Forschern und Experten für Ichthyologie in Ästuaren präsentiert dieses wegweisende Übersichtswerk die Themen Fischbestände und funktionelle Gruppen, Rekrutierung und Produktion in Ästuaren, Ernährungsökologie und trophische Dynamik, Erhaltung von Fischen in Ästuaren und viele mehr. In dreizehn ausführlichen Kapiteln werden die wichtigsten Aspekte zu Fischen und Fischerei in Ästuaren rund um die Welt beschrieben. Es wird die Biologie der Fische in Ästuargewässern und ihre Verbindung zu den dortigen Ökosystemen betrachtet, und es wird analysiert, wie sich die menschengemachte Industrialisierung und globale Ereignisse wie der Klimawandel auf einheimische und andere Arten auswirken. Weitere Themen sind die Vielfalt der Lebensräume, das Verhalten von Fischen bei der Nahrungssuche, Instrumente und Modelle der Umwelttechnik, Gefahren und Risiken für Fische und Fischerei in Ästuaren sowie die Gesundheit der Umwelt in Ästuaren. Dieses maßgebliche Referenzwerk enthält detaillierte Informationen über die Biologie und Ökologie von Fischen und Fischerei in Ästuaren und bietet außerdem: * Eine Betrachtung aktueller Ansätze und künftiger Forschungsrichtungen, die darauf abzielen, ein Gleichgewicht zwischen der Nutzung und der Erhaltung von Fischen in Ästuaren zu erreichen * Eine Erörterung der Umweltqualitätsziele sowie der nachhaltigen Fischerei und Bewirtschaftung der Ästuare * Eine Untersuchung, wie sich die zunehmende Nutzung von Ressourcen wie Nahrung, Raum und Wasser durch den Menschen auf die Fischerei in den Ästuaren auswirkt * Zahlreiche internationale Fallstudien zum Fischereimanagement, zu bedrohten Arten, zur Sanierung von Ästuaren, zur Fortpflanzung und Ontogenese und weiteren Themen * Eine Darstellung der Studien- und Probenahmeverfahren, der Feldausrüstung sowie der Verarbeitung, Analyse und Interpretation der Daten Das Werk Fish and Fisheries in Estuaries: A Global Perspective ist ein unverzichtbares Hilfsmittel und eine Referenzquelle für Fischbiologen, Fischereiwissenschaftler, Ökologen und Umweltwissenschaftler, Gewässerökologen, Naturschutzbiologen sowie Studierende der höheren Semester und Dozenten im Bereich Fischbiologie und Fischerei.




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




Basics of Marine and Estuarine Ecology


Book Description

The book presents recent research on marine ecology in different parts of the world. It aims to shed light on relevant topics for budding marine ecologists. The "blue soup" of Planet Earth, which comprises both biotic and abiotic components, is essential to keeping the wheel of civilization running. Four major ecosystem service categories have been identified within this context, namely provisioning services such as water, food, mangrove timber, honey, fish, wax, fuel wood, fodder and bioactive compounds from marine and estuarine flora and fauna; regulating services such as the regulation of climate, coastal erosion, coral bleaching and pollution; cultural services encompassing recreational (tourism), spiritual and other non-material benefits; and supporting services such as nutrient cycling and photosynthesis. These valuable services are obtained from various resources that must be conserved for the sake of humanity. This book presents data for each resource type, not just in the form of a simple description, but also through case studies that resulted from several research projects and pilot programs carried out in different parts of the world. Statistical tools were also used to critically analyze the influence of relevant hydrological parameters on the biotic community. Advanced research in marine and estuarine ecology is based on the use of sophisticated instruments, sampling precision, statistical tools, etc., which have also been highlighted in the book.




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.




Fishes in Lagoons and Estuaries in the Mediterranean 1


Book Description

Lagoons and estuaries are transition spaces between earth and sea. Beyond their expanse, geographic repartition, geomorphological, hydroclimatic and ecobiological diversity and biodiversity, they play an important role in regional economies and are some of the ecosystems most vulnerable to global change. Reinforced by numerous references, this book studies Mediterranean lagoonal and estuarine fishes whose diversity largely depends on the composition of neighboring marine and continental ichtyofauna. The authors describe their morphological, biological, ecological and behavioral characteristics by evoking their distinctive features and differences with their marine or freshwater homologues. Their adaptation strategies, elucidated thanks to recent advances in morphology, genetics and molecular biology, are recognized as a major advantage in the context of climate change. This book is for natural environment managers, engineers, teachers, students and researchers.




Ecology and Conservation of Estuarine Ecosystems


Book Description

St Lucia is the world's oldest protected estuary and Africa's largest estuarine system. It is also the centerpiece of South Africa's first UNESCO World Heritage Site, the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, and has been a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance since 1986. Knowledge of its biodiversity, geological origins, hydrology, hydrodynamics and the long history of management is unique in the world. However, the impact of global change has culminated in unprecedented challenges for the conservation and management of the St Lucia system, leading to the recent initiation of a project in support of its rehabilitation and long-term sustainability. This timely volume provides a unique source of information on the functioning and management of the estuary for researchers, students and environmental managers. The insights and experiences described build on over 60 years of study and management at the site and will serve as a valuable model for similar estuaries around the world.