Understanding the biology of the innumerable number of aquatic species on our planet is the focus of sustained research efforts. Environmental degradation, management or rehabilitation of wild stocks, and the forecasted climatic changes are fueling interest in the study of the ecology, feeding behavior, and nutrition of aquatic animals in their natural habitat. In parallel, the rapid expansion of aquaculture in many parts of the world has supported vigorous research programs on nutrition, and feeding of cultivated aquatic organisms. More than 250 aquatic species are cultivated on a commercial scale using a wide variety of production systems. This great diversity results in great opportunities and tremendous challenges. Topics covered in this book are as diverse as, feeding ecology of fish in their natural habitat, feeding behavior, digestive anatomy, biochemistry and physiology of different fish species at different life stages, the impact of diet on gastro-intestinal development and health, nutrition and disease resistance, and modeling conversion of food or feed inputs into biomass.

Feeding Ecology of Fishes in the Brazilian Amazon�A Naturalistic Approach; Environmental Changes, Habitat Modifications and Feeding Ecology of Freshwater Fish; Feeding Activity in Teleost Fish: Influence of Biotic and Abiotic Factors; Classical and Modern Concepts in Fish Digestion; Temperature Adaptation of Digestive Enzymes in Fish; Diets, Physiology, Biochemistry and Digestive Tract Development of Freshwater Fish Larvae; Ontogeny and Physiology of the Digestive System of Marine Fish Larvae; Tracer Studies in Fish Larvae; An Overview of the Feeding Ecology and Physiology of Elasmobranch Fishes; Alternative Protein Sources and Digestive Function Alterations in Teleost Fishes; Nutrition and Disease Resistance in Fish; Efficiency of Conversion of Feed Inputs into Animal Biomass: The Usefulness of Bioenergetics Models and Need for a Transition to Nutrient-flow Models