Trophic Ecology of Freshwater and Marine Fish Species

Dear Colleagues,

The trophic ecology of fish species, both freshwater and marine, is a fundamental aspect of understanding aquatic ecosystems. Trophic interactions influence nutrient cycling, food web dynamics, population structures, and ecosystem structure. This special issue aims to compile the gap and advances our knowledge of the trophic relationships in various fish species, exploring their roles as predators, prey, and competitors within their ecosystems. We invite contributions that utilize innovative methodologies, including stable isotope analysis, gut content analysis, and advanced modeling techniques, to shed light on the dietary habits and ecological roles of fish in diverse aquatic environments.

Topics of Interest:

We encourage submissions that address, but are not limited to, the following topics:

1. Dietary Composition and Feeding Strategies: Investigations based on the dietary habits of freshwater and marine fish species, including changes in diet across different life stages.
2. Food Web Dynamics: Studies on the structure and function of aquatic food webs, highlighting the ecological role and impact of fish species within these networks.
3. Stable Isotope Analysis: Use of stable isotopes to trace nutrient pathways and understand dietary patterns and trophic relationships.
4. Gut Content Analysis: Providing insights into prey selection and feeding behavior.
5. Trophic Niches and Overlap: Examination of niche partitioning and overlap among coexisting fish species, contributing to our understanding of competition and coexistence mechanisms.
6. Impact of Environmental Changes: Studies on how climate change, affect the trophic ecology of fish.
7. Functional Roles of Fish: Exploration of the trophic roles of fish as ecosystem engineers, keystone species, or indicators of ecosystem funtioning.
8. Methodological Advances: Innovative methods and approaches in studying trophic ecology, including technological advancements and interdisciplinary techniques.
9. Case Studies: Detailed case studies from various geographical locations, providing comparative insights into the trophic ecology of fish in different ecosystems.

Dr. Davide Cicala
Prof. Dr. Ying Xue
Dr. Kai Wang
Dr. Rijin Jiang
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.

• fish
• trophic niches
• trophic ecology
• food web
• dietary composition
• feeding strategies