Publication Abstract

Population biology and ecology of the sole

J Horwood

The sole (Solea solea) is atypical temperate marine flatfish. Population numbers have been significantly reduced, byfishing, before biological sampling was routinely established. There is thus an inadequatedescription of the demographic processes with changing population density. Nevertheless,it is possible to see some changes in weight, maturity and fecundity of adult sole,although these may well be driven by environmental factors. Sole aggregate inshallow-water nursery grounds, where there is probably density-dependent mortality, and ahypothesis that the size of nursery grounds controls average population size is examined.It is argued, however, that the important homeostatic process occurs in the plankton. Thedynamics of the sole can then only be understood in the context of the plankton ecology.

Reference:

J Horwood, 2001.Population biology and ecology of the sole.NaturalResource Modeling, vol. 14, no. 2, pp. 233-256