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Title: Compensatory mechanisms in fish populations: Literature reviews: Volume 2, Compensation in fish populations subject to catastrophic impact: Final report

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:6585418

This study comprises an extensive literature review, critical evaluations of case histories, and considered recommendations for future research on the mechanisms and extent of compensation by various fish species subject to catastrophic impacts. ''Catastrophic impact'' was defined as an event which removes some limitation (such as food or space) on a fish population. Those events studied included new species introduction, toxic spills, exploitation of specific fish populations, and drawdown. The fish studied each had more than one compensatory mechanism available, and thus were able to respond to a catastrophic event even if an option was removed. Predation, overfishing, competition, disease, and parasitism are all potential catastrophies, but were found not to cause a catastrophic impact (except in special cases). In general, compensatory responses were determined to vary widely, even for species which perform fairly similar functions in an ecosystem. The extensive nature of this study, however, pointed up the many data gaps in the existing literature; recommendations are therefore made for followup research and expansion of ongoing monitoring programs, based on an evaluation of their relative importance.

Research Organization:
Michigan Univ., Ann Arbor (USA). Great Lakes Research Div.; Electric Power Research Inst., Palo Alto, CA (USA)
OSTI ID:
6585418
Report Number(s):
EPRI-EA-5200-Vol.2; ON: TI87920444
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English