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Resource Ecology and Ecosystem Modeling - Home

The Resource Ecology and Ecosystem Modeling Task at the Alaska Fisheries Science Center focuses on the collection and analysis of data relating to trophic interactions in the North Pacific and incorporation of these data into environmental assessments and single-species and multispecies models. Systematic collection and analysis of groundfish food habits data is performed. Data on size-at-age is integrated with bioenergetic information to estimate food consumption rates by fish populations. Information on marine mammal and bird diet is obtained from other Center programs or outside researchers. Quantifying food web linkages is essential to increase our understanding of how external forces such as fishing may cause unanticipated shifts in ecosystem composition. The importance of this research is also elevated given the increasing emphasis on fishery-mammal interactions: groundfish predation interactions are an important part of knowing the true nature of resource availability to mammals and birds.

Stomach samples are collected at virtually no cost to the program, utilizing fishery observers and existing assessment cruises for collection platforms. Samples are analyzed in the laboratory and entered into a food habits database. These data allow assessment of factors influencing individual species food habits, including interannual changes. Predation effects by groundfish populations are then quantified and incorporated into assessment models.



Recent Publications, Poster Presentations, Reports & Activities

  • A summary of seabird bycatch from 1993-2004(.pdf, 407KB) reports the estimated bycatch rates and numbers for select species groups
     
  • Model Results: MSVPA MSM
     
  • Ecosystems Considerations SAFE Presentation to the SSC (.ppt, 14.3MB)
     
  • Final Ecosystem Considerations for 2006 (.pdf, 10MB) for the North Pacific Groundfish Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation Report
     
  • A cross-ecosystem comparison of spatial and temporal patterns of covariation in the recruitment of functionally analogous fish stocks.
    MEGREY, B. A., J. A. HARE, W. T. STOCKHAUSEN, A. DOMMASNES, H. GJØSÆTER, W. OVERHOLTZ, S. GAICHAS, G. SKARET, J. FALK-PETERSEN, J. S. LINK, and K. D. FRIEDLAND. 2009. A cross-ecosystem comparison of spatial and temporal patterns of covariation in the recruitment of functionally analogous fish stocks. Prog. Oceanogr. 81:63-92. 
     
  • A comparison of biological trends from four marine ecosystems: Synchronies, differences, and commonalities.
    LINK, J. S., W. T. STOCKHAUSEN, G. SKARET, W. OVERHOLTZ, B. A. MEGREY, H. GJØSÆTER, S. GAICHAS, A. DOMMASNES, J. FALK-PETERSEN, J. KANE, F. J. MUETER, K. D. FRIEDLAND, and J. A. HARE. 2009. A comparison of biological trends from four marine ecosystems: Synchronies, differences, and commonalities. Prog. Oceanogr. 81:29-46. 
     
  • A comparison of community and trophic structure in five marine ecosystems based on energy budgets and system metrics.
    GAICHAS, S., G. SKARET, J. FALK-PETERSEN, J. S. LINK, W. OVERHOLTZ, B. A. MEGREY, H. GJØSÆTER, W. T. STOCKHAUSEN, A. DOMMASNES, K. D. FRIEDLAND, and K. AYDIN. 2009. A comparison of community and trophic structure in five marine ecosystems based on energy budgets and system metrics. Prog. Oceanogr.81:47-62. 
     
  • FEAST Forage/Euphausiid Abundance in Space and Time
    By:  IVONNE ORTIZ, KERIM AYDIN, AL HERMANN
    Conference:  BEST-BSIERP Principal Investigator Meeting, Girdwood, AK, Oct 2009
    (2009 poster, .pdf, 2.39MB)   Online.
     
  • Fine-scale Analysis of Arrowtooth Flounder Catch Rates in the Eastern Bering Sea Reveals Spatial Trends in Abundance and Diet
    By:  STEPHANI ZADOR, KERIM AYDIN
    Conference:  Alaska Marine Science Symposium, Anchorage, AK, Jan 2009
    (2009 poster, .pdf, 2.67MB)   Online.
     
  • Age, Growth, and Maturation of Sculpins in the Eastern Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands
    By:  TODD T. TENBRINK, KERIM Y. AYDIN
    Conference:  Alaska Marine Science Symposium, Anchorage, AK, Jan 2009
    (2009 poster, .pdf, 774KB)   Online.
     
  • Fish Stomach Collection and Lab Analysis

  • Ecosystem Modeling and Assessment (international marine conservation meeting)

  • Ecosystem Modeling

  • Ecosystem Ecology

  • Seabird Coordinated Studies


See the publications and poster databases for additional listings.

 
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