Many of the processes influencing recruitment to an adult fish population or entry into a fishery occur very early in life. The variations in life histories and behaviours of young fish and the selective processes operating on this variation ultimately determine the identities and abundance of survivors. This important volume brings together contributions from many of the world's leading researchers from the field of fish ecology. The book focuses on three major themes of pressing importance in the analysis of the role that the early life history of fishes plays in the number and quality of recruits: the selective processes at play in their early life history; the contributions of early life history to the understanding of recruitment.

"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

Among the fishes, a remarkably wide range of biological adaptations to diverse habitats has evolved. As well as living in the conventional habitats of lakes, ponds, rivers, rock pools and the open sea, fish have solved the problems of life in deserts, in the deep sea, in the cold Antarctic, and in warm waters of high alkalinity or of low oxygen. Along with these adaptations, we find the most impressive specializations of morphology, physiology and behaviour. For example we can marvel at the high-speed swimming of the marlins, sailfish and warm-blooded tunas, air breathing in catfish and lungfish, parental care in the mouth-brooding cichlids and viviparity in many sharks and toothcarps. Moreover, fish are ofconsiderable importance to the survival ofthe human species in the form of nutritious and delicious food of numerous kinds. Rational exploitation and management of our global stocks of fishes must rely upon a detailed and precise insight of their biology. The Chapman and Hall Fish and Fisheries Series aims to present timely volumes reviewing important aspects of fish biology. Most volumes will be of interest to research workers in biology, zoology, ecology and physiology, but an additional aim is for the books to be accessible to a wide spectrum ofnon specialist readers ranging from undergraduates and postgraduates to those with an interest in industrial and commercial aspects of fish and fisheries.

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.

Many of the processes influencing recruitment to an adult fish population or entry into a fishery occur very early in life. The variations in life histories and behaviours of young fish and the selective processes operating on this variation ultimately determine the identities and abundance of survivors. This important volume brings together contributions from many of the world's leading researchers from the field of fish ecology. The book focuses on three major themes of pressing importance in the analysis of the role that the early life history of fishes plays in the number and quality of recruits: the selective processes at play in their early life history; the contributions of early life history to the understanding of recruitment.

The Early Life History (ELH) of marine fishes in Fishing Area 31, which includes the western central North Atlantic, Caribbean Sea, and the Gulf of Mexico, has remained incomplete over the years. This certainly wasn't because of any lack of interest, but rather a lack of a comprehensive merging of studies that would provide a broad understandi

It is now clear that data based on the studies of fish eggs and larvae make a number of unique contributions to fishery science that are crucial for accurate assessment and management of fish populations, including those of commercially important fisheries. This valuable book demonstrates why fish eggs and larvae are important, how the characteristics of early life stages require a somewhat different research approach and how information on early life stages can be applied and interpreted to yield unique insights into fish populations. The editors of Fishery Science have drawn together an extremely useful and well-written book with contributions from internationally respected researchers from North America, Asia and Europe. Chapters include a discussion of the unique nature of early life stages, age and growth, mortality, recruitment, populations analysis, habitats, human impacts and management. A carefully selected set of case studies demonstrates several specific applications of early life history information to a number of fishery problems. Fishery Science was designed to complement existing textbooks and is an essential purchase for all fisheries students and professionals, and for biologists working on the early life stages of fish. This exciting book is also of great value to ecologists, marine, freshwater and environmental scientists, populations biologists and oceanographers. All libraries in universities and research establishments where biological and fishery science are studied and taught should have copies of this book available on their shelves.