Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wyoming, 2009. / Title from PDF title page (viewed on May 6, 2010). Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1974. / Vita. Typescript. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Stevens Point, 1996. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 66-73).

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Rhode Island, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 185-199).

Thesis (M.S.)--Humboldt State University, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 50-51). Also available via Humboldt Digital Scholar.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2006. / Title from title screen (site viewed May 8, 2007). PDF text: xi, 207 p. : ill. (some col.), maps ; 2.21Mb UMI publication number: AAT 3237058. Includes bibliographical references. Also available in microfilm and microfiche formats.

Thesis (Ph.D.) in Marine Biology--University of Maine, 2008. / Includes vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 150-163).

The three general body armour forms of Gasterosteus aculeatus (Linnaeus), high, intermediate and low plate count forms, are found in nonbreeding marine populations. In breeding season initially the population in the nontidal portion of Bonsall Creek consisted of the low and intermediate plate count forms. Later when the tidal zone was occupied by breeding sticklebacks all three body armour forms were present and from the limit of the tidal influence the low and intermediate forms became less frequent seaward. In Chase Creek there exists an anadromous breeding population but there was no adjoining freshwater population. In Chase Creek however there did exist a zone where all three body armour form were present. Therefore, the development of the pattern of plate variation in the creek's tidal zone does not appear to be dependent upon the presence of both freshwater and marine population tyrjes. In Bonsall Creek where both a freshwater and a marine population bred, low plate count individuals from the freshwater zone and high plate count individuals from the adjoining tidal zone were reciprocally transferred in wire baskets. Mortalities of transferred fish were shown to be significantly higher than those of the controls indicating a possible barrier to gene exchange between the two populations. However, the presence of the intermediate plate count form in the freshwater zone of Bonsall creek strongly implicates gene flow between these two groups of fishes. all three forms collected from the tidal zone of Chase Creek. Showed the same mortality rate when placed in freshwater. This suggests that the low and intermediate plate count fish breeding in the tidal portion of Chase Creek were of marine origin. Ten morphological characters were combined in a discriminant function and used to classify breeding individuals from Bonsall Creek. The discriminant function showed a gradual change in morphology of the fish distributed from marine to freshwater. It is concluded that while there was considerable differentiation between adjoining freshwater and anadromous breeding populations of Gasterosteus aculeatus, no evidence of a morphological discontinuity as would be expected of separate species. However, the presences of the hybrid form in the freshwater zone of Bonsall Creek strongly implicates gene flow between those freshwater and marine groups of fish. Eleven populations ranging geographically from the Alaska Peninsula to Chehalis Biver in Washington State were similarly subject to discriminant function analysis. These samples did not show clinal variation in their scores, though the scores of the populations were significantly different suggesting local adaptation and possible restriction of gene flow within the marine environment. / Science, Faculty of / Zoology, Department of / Graduate

This project was designed to study the patterns of variability in fish populations. My hypothesis is that specific population patterns should be related to evolutionary concepts (phylogenetic patterns} , zoogeographic considerations (faunal patterns), and their vertical distributions. These patterns should be detected by comparing certain population parameters [growth parameters (K, LINF), the natural mortality coefficient (M) size at first maturity (LM), age at first maturity (TM), size at age 1 (L1) , the weight-length exponential coefficient (b) , and life span (T95)] which are intrinsic biological features of the population. Comparative methods were used to analyze data from published fish population studies by comparing fish population parameters, individually, in pairs (ratio or linear regression), or grouped together (discriminant analysis or Cooley and Lohnes' classification method), in order to find the similarities or differences among different categories, and then to group these into patterns. Published data provided 682 parameter records from 43 families (171 species) of fishes. My findings suggested that more satisfactory results would be obtained from a greater volume of data. Therefore, all the analyses were based mainly on 15 families with large sample sizes (Bothidae, Clupeidae, Cyprinidae, Engraulidae, Gadidae, Hiodontidae, Osmeridae, Percidae, Pleuronectidae, Salmonidae, Sciaenidae, Scombridae, Scorpaenidae, Sparidae, and Sgualidae). Sample sizes, mean values, standard errors, and coefficients of variation for population parameters and relative characters of the 15 families of fishes are listed in the summary table. These data would enable the extrapolation of results based on many areas for management of other fish stocks where data are lacking. In the majority of families significant linear regression relationships were found between 1/K--LINF, between LM--LINF, and between M--K. This means that fish having a greater asymptotic length (LINF) also have a larger size at first maturity (LM), a lower natural mortality coefficient (M), and a lower rate (K) at which the asymptotic length is reached. Using the F-test and the appropriate t-test as a basis for comparison of variances and means of individual parameters, it is evident that in most cases there are significant differences between families. This confirms one of my hypothesis; namely that differences between families, as shown by population parameters, exist from phylogenetic considerations. By comparing the four characters (K, LINF, LM, and LH/LINF) the fish families can be divided into the following groups: A) Shoaling pelagic fishes - Engraulidae, Clupeidae, and Osmeridae. These families have the highest K values (1.6 for Engraulidae, over 0.4 for the others), the smallest LINF, LM, and a very high LM/LINF ratio (over 0.7). B) Large pelagic fishes - Scombridae. This family has a moderately high K value (around 0.35) and the largest LINF. C) Demersal fishes - Gadidae, Pleuronectidae, Scorpaenidae, Sparidae etc. These families have low K values (less than 0.25), intermediate LINF size, and lower LM/LINF ratios (less than 0.6). D) Freshwater fish - Cyprinidae. This family has K and LINF values which are similar to those of the demersal fishes, but has a smaller LM length and, especially, the lowest LK/LINF (0.4) and TH/T95 (0.2) ratios. Stepwise discriminant analysis based on 7 variables in the 15 families showed that over 90% of the 620 cases considered independently could be correctly classified into the right families. Cooley and Lohnes' classification method was also utilized among species within 5 major families (Clupeidae, Cyprinidae, Gadidae, Pleuronectidae, and Scombridae). Correct classification ranged from 5 8.6% (Pleuronectidae) to 87.6% (Cyprinidae). These results further confirmed the existence of population patterns by examination of population parameters. Cluster analysis based on 7 population parameters displayed the closeness among the 15 families. Dendrograph relationships brought out the ecological, rather than the systematic, affinities between families. / Science, Faculty of / Zoology, Department of / Graduate

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