Prey environment, feeding success and condition of blue whiting Micromesistius poutassou larvae were analysed in contrasting meteorological situations west of Ireland in the spring of 2 consecutive years (1994 and 1995). While larval abundance in both years of the study was approximately equal, there were marked differences in the physical and biological environment between the 2 years. 1994 wa...

Variation in larval supply to disjunct marine populations can provide insight into larval transport and delivery mechanisms, especially when compared with observations of physical transport. Daily variability in larval supply at two mussel-dominated hydrothermal vents, East Wall and Choo Choo, near 9u509N, East Pacific Rise, was quantified concurrently with hydrodynamic observations to investig...

Release of hatchery-reared fish is viewed as a potential means to supplement coastal fish stocks, yet the viability of such programs has not been explored either theoretically or empirically. Here we examine implications from life history theory and results from population simulation models to examine the relative impact of alternative ecological and management scenarios on tarpon abundance. Li...

The distribution and abundance of mosquito larvae in a freshwater marsh were determined during a low water period in the late summer. Culex tarsalis larval abundance was significantly associated with the percent cover by Typha spp. root masses and Typha spp. stem density in 1-m2 quadrants. Larval mosquito abundance was not significantly related to bulrush (Scirpus californicus) stem density, po...

Temporary ponds where many amphibians breed experience a gradual desiccation that leads to growing larval densities, which can reduce tadpole survival rates and increase cannibalistic interactions among carnivorous salamander larvae. Concentrations of many agrochemicals, including nitrogenous fertilizers, can also increase as the water volume decreases. We analyzed the effects of ammonium nitra...

To determine if host plant abundance determined the size of clover root weevil (CRW) Sitona obsoletus larval populations, a study was conducted over 4 years in plots sown in ryegrass (Lolium perenne) (cv. Nui) sown at either 6 or 30 kg/ha and white clover (Trifolium repens) sown at a uniform rate of 8 kg/ha. This provided a range of % white clover content to investigate CRW population establish...

For many marine fish, intense larval mortality may provide considerable opportunity for selection, yet much less is known about the evolutionary potential of larval traits. We combined field demographic studies and manipulative experiments to estimate quantitative genetic parameters for both larval size and swimming performance for a natural population of a common coral-reef fish, the bicolor d...