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Published Online April 21, 2005
Science DOI: 10.1126/science.1109049

Research Articles

Submitted on December 22, 2004
Accepted on March 15, 2005

Bottom-Up Ecosystem Trophic Dynamics Determine Fish Production in the Northeast Pacific

Daniel M. Ware 1 and Richard E. Thomson 2*

1 Aquatic Ecosystem Associates, 3674 Planta Road, Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada V9T 1M2, and Department of Earth and Ocean Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C., Canada, and School of Earth and Ocean Science, University of Victoria, Victoria B.C., Canada.
2 Institute of Ocean Sciences, 9860 West Saanich Road, Sidney, B.C, Canada V8L 4B2.

* To whom correspondence should be addressed.
Richard E. Thomson , E-mail: thomsonr{at}pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca

The question of "bottom-up" versus "top-down" control of marine ecosystem trophic interactions was addressed using annual fish catch data and satellite-derived (SeaWiFS) chlorophyll-a measurements for the continental margin of western North America. Findings reveal a marked alongshore variation in retained primary production that is highly correlated with the alongshore variation in resident fish yield. Highest productivity occurs off the coasts of Washington and southern British Columbia. Zooplankton data for coastal British Columbia confirm strong bottom-up trophic linkages between phytoplankon, zooplankton, and resident fish, extending to regional areas as small as 104 km2.


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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)