Ecology of Fish: Age, Growth, Reproduction and Feeding Habits

Dear Colleagues,

The study of fish ecology in terms of age, growth, reproduction and feeding habits remains a dynamic and essential field. In an ever-changing world, where human populations are increasing and their direct and indirect activities affect the natural environment, understanding these biological aspects is critical for interpreting past, present and future scenarios of fish populations and communities, as well as their role in ecosystems.

A common misconception is that once the ecological patterns of a species have been assessed, they remain static regardless of when and where the data were collected. This view overlooks the inherent plasticity and resilience of fish populations, which are influenced by both intrinsic (such as physiology, population density, etc.) and extrinsic (such as fishing, pollution, global warming, etc.) factors across space and time. These dynamics highlight the need for continuous monitoring, especially for fishes.

This SI aims to present recent and innovative research on fish ecology. Submissions may be in the form of original research, including, but not limited to, the following topics relating to marine, brackish and freshwater fish populations:

• Age and growth studies using length–frequency, calcified structures, and tag–release techniques.
• Reproductive ecology, including behavior, gonadal structure and development, first maturity, fecundity and spawning patterns.
• Feeding ecology, including life cycle, diet composition, food consumption and ecological niches.
• Population dynamics modeling.

We look forward to your contributions to advancing our understanding of fish ecology in the face of global environmental change.

Prof. Dr. André Martins Vaz-Dos-Santos
Dr. Estevan Luiz da Silveira
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Fishes is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• age
• growth
• reproductive ecology
• feeding ecology
• population dynamics