Freshwater Fisheries Ecology

Freshwater Fisheries Ecology

Author: John F. Craig

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons

Published: 2016-01-12

Total Pages: 920

ISBN-13: 1118394402

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Inland fisheries are vital for the livelihoods and food resources of humans worldwide but their importance is underestimated, probably because large numbers of small, local operators are involved. Freshwater Fisheries Ecology defines what we have globally, what we are going to lose and mitigate for, and what, given the right tools, we can save. To estimate potential production, the dynamics of freshwater ecosystems (rivers, lakes and estuaries) need to be understood. These dynamics are diverse, as are the earths freshwater fisheries resources (from boreal to tropical regions), and these influence how fisheries are both utilized and abused. Three main types of fisheries are illustrated within the book: artisanal, commercial and recreational, and the tools which have evolved for fisheries governance and management, including assessment methods, are described. The book also covers in detail fisheries development, providing information on improving fisheries through environmental and habitat evaluation, enhancement and rehabilitation, aquaculture, genetically modified fishes and sustainability. The book thoroughly reviews the negative impacts on fisheries including excessive harvesting, climate change, toxicology, impoundments, barriers and abstractions, non-native species and eutrophication. Finally, key areas of future research are outlined. Freshwater Fisheries Ecology is truly a landmark publication, containing contributions from over 100 leading experts and supported by the Fisheries Society of the British Isles. The global approach makes this book essential reading for fish biologists, fisheries scientists and ecologists and upper level students in these disciplines. Libraries in all universities and research establishments where biological and fisheries sciences are studied and taught should have multiple copies of this hugely valuable resource. About the Editor John Craig is Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Fish Biology and has an enormous range of expertise and a wealth of knowledge of freshwater fishes and their ecology, having studied them around the globe, including in Asia, North America, Africa, the Middle East and Europe. His particular interests have been in population dynamics and life history strategies. He is a Fellow of the Linnean Society of London and the Royal Society of Biology.


Large-scale dam removal and ecosystem restoration

Large-scale dam removal and ecosystem restoration

Author: Rebecca McCaffery

Publisher: Frontiers Media SA

Published: 2024-09-20

Total Pages: 405

ISBN-13: 2832553605

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Rivers are vital ecosystems that support aquatic and terrestrial biodiversity and several ecosystem services, including food, water, culture, and recreation. After centuries of building dams on rivers across the world, dam removal projects are now on the rise due to obsolescence, reservoir sedimentation, insufficient return on investment, or river restoration and conservation priorities. Most dam removal projects have focused on smaller structures (< 10 m in structural height), but larger structures have also started to be removed in increasing numbers as practitioners, river managers, conservationists, and the public have gained more experience with the practice. Recent estimates suggest that only a small fraction of dam removals have been scientifically studied, and include mostly small dams and short time scales. Documenting the long-term ecological outcomes of large dam removal (i.e. >10 m tall) represents a new frontier in dam removal research: projects are more recent and provide an opportunity to understand the complex ecological changes that occur with these transformative restoration projects. Here, we aim to collate a diverse array of papers on long-term dam removal research projects involving larger dams (>10 m) to synthesize the issues, outcomes, tools, and experimental designs used to study large dam removal projects from physical, biological, and ecological perspectives. With this collection, we aim to showcase diverse global projects on ecosystem responses to large dam removal; collect perspectives from different disciplines, fields, and geographies; and synthesize the current state of knowledge in this area. We expect that this Research Topic will be informative to ongoing, long-term ecological restoration and monitoring projects related to dam removal as well as to upcoming large dam removal projects. We welcome contributions from all disciplines addressing the physical, ecological, and ecosystem responses to large-scale dam removal. Contributions could include original research in a specific discipline or area, case studies, or synthesis papers that address one or more of these topics in a transdisciplinary approach. Contributors could address any of the following major topics as related to outcomes of large dam removal, alone or in combination: Freshwater, estuarine, and marine aquatic biota; River and reservoir geomorphology; Terrestrial and riparian vegetation; Wildlife; Sedimentation; and Modelling. We would like contributors to highlight key results in their area of study, cross-disciplinary insights, and lessons learned that could inform ongoing monitoring and research efforts in current projects as well as upcoming large dam removals.


Riparian Areas

Riparian Areas

Author: National Research Council

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 2002-10-10

Total Pages: 449

ISBN-13: 0309082951

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The Clean Water Act (CWA) requires that wetlands be protected from degradation because of their important ecological functions including maintenance of high water quality and provision of fish and wildlife habitat. However, this protection generally does not encompass riparian areasâ€"the lands bordering rivers and lakesâ€"even though they often provide the same functions as wetlands. Growing recognition of the similarities in wetland and riparian area functioning and the differences in their legal protection led the NRC in 1999 to undertake a study of riparian areas, which has culminated in Riparian Areas: Functioning and Strategies for Management. The report is intended to heighten awareness of riparian areas commensurate with their ecological and societal values. The primary conclusion is that, because riparian areas perform a disproportionate number of biological and physical functions on a unit area basis, restoration of riparian functions along America's waterbodies should be a national goal.


Historical Changes in Large River Fish Assemblages of the Americas

Historical Changes in Large River Fish Assemblages of the Americas

Author: John N. Rinne

Publisher:

Published: 2005

Total Pages: 636

ISBN-13:

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Dramatic changes have occurred in the functioning of larger rivers because of social values and policies, land use, inchannel causes, and alien species. These changes have resulted in the reduction in range and abundance of many native fish species. This book describes the historical changes observed in the fish assemblages of 27 large rivers in North, Central, and South America. A synthesizing chapter highlights common and distinct patterns among the rivers and their stressors. The book focuses on entire fish assemblages, including the many species that do not enter fisheries. It will be of interest to both fishery biologists and aquatic ecologists who are concerned with the status and trends in biodiversity and biointegrity. Contains historical information as well as new research and monitoring results, including research on metapopulations, genetics, and life history strategies.


Restoration of Aquatic Ecosystems

Restoration of Aquatic Ecosystems

Author: National Research Council

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 1992-01-01

Total Pages: 580

ISBN-13: 9780309045346

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Aldo Leopold, father of the "land ethic," once said, "The time has come for science to busy itself with the earth itself. The first step is to reconstruct a sample of what we had to begin with." The concept he expressedâ€"restorationâ€"is defined in this comprehensive new volume that examines the prospects for repairing the damage society has done to the nation's aquatic resources: lakes, rivers and streams, and wetlands. Restoration of Aquatic Ecosystems outlines a national strategy for aquatic restoration, with practical recommendations, and features case studies of aquatic restoration activities around the country. The committee examines: Key concepts and techniques used in restoration. Common factors in successful restoration efforts. Threats to the health of the nation's aquatic ecosystems. Approaches to evaluation before, during, and after a restoration project. The emerging specialties of restoration and landscape ecology.