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International audience; Predation is a pervasive force that structures food webs and directly influences ecosystem functioning. The relative body sizes of predators and prey may be an important determinant of interaction strengths. However, studies quantifying the combined influence of intra‐ and interspecific variation in predator–prey body size ratios are lacking. We use a comparative functional response approach to examine interaction strengths between three size classes of invasive bluegill and largemouth bass toward three scaled size classes of their tilapia prey. We then quantify the influence of intra‐ and interspecific predator–prey body mass ratios on the scaling of attack rates and handling times. Type II functional responses were displayed by both predators across all predator and prey size classes. Largemouth bass consumed more than bluegill at small and intermediate predator size classes, while large predators of both species were more similar. Small prey were most vulnerable overall; however, differential attack rates among prey were emergent across predator sizes. For both bluegill and largemouth bass, small predators exhibited higher attack rates toward small and intermediate prey sizes, while larger predators exhibited greater attack rates toward large prey. Conversely, handling times increased with prey size, with small bluegill exhibiting particularly low feeding rates toward medium–large prey types. Attack rates for both predators peaked unimodally at intermediate predator–prey body mass ratios, while handling times generally shortened across increasing body mass ratios. We thus demonstrate effects of body size ratios on predator–prey interaction strengths between key fish species, with attack rates and handling times dependent on the relative sizes of predator–prey participants. Considerations for intra‐ and interspecific body size ratio effects are critical for predicting the strengths of interactions within ecosystems and may drive differential ecological impacts among invasive species as size ratios shift.

The Knysna seahorse, Hippocampus capensis, is an endangered teleost confined to three South African estuaries. Its abundance within these systems is low and distributions are patchy. Consequently, monitoring population sizes is labour- intensive. The aim of this study was to establish if Knynsa seahorses are associated with specific regions within the estuaries, on which conservation efforts could concentrate. The relationship of Knysna seahorses with aquatic vegetation was analysed in the Knysna Estuary (the largest of the three estuarine systems inhabited by H. capensis) to determine whether this species shows a preference for a particular plant species, vegetation density or vegetation height. Seahorses were associated with five dominant aquatic plants: Zostera capensis, Caulerpa filiformis, Codium extricatum, Halophila ovalis and Ruppia cirrhosa. Together, these comprised 96% of the submerged objects with which seahorses were associated. The relative abundance of plant species changed along the estuary, but seahorses were present throughout the system, except at the estuary mouth, which was characterized by low plant densities and strong currents. No significant difference was found between the proportion of plant species present in a particular region of the estuary and the proportion of plants that seahorses used as holdfasts. However, when Z. capensis and C. filiformis were present at the same sites, adult seahorses preferred C. filiformis as holdfast. Adult seahorse density (individuals/m2) was significantly correlated with percentage vegetation cover and with holdfast length, but juvenile seahorse density was not. Nonetheless, significantly more adult and juvenile seahorses were found at sites characterized by high vegetation cover (>75%) than at sites with lower cover. Our results indicate that although there is some evidence that Knynsa seahorses prefer certain plant species over others, they are likely to beencountered anywhere in the estuary where aquatic plants are present. Conservation efforts in the Knysna Estuary should thus concentrate on such vegetated areas, which comprise approximately 11% of the total submerged surface area.Key words: Knysna seahorse, Zostera capensis, Caulerpa filiformis, Codium extricatum, Halophila ovalis, Ruppia cirrhosa, holdfast preference, conservation.

CABI Publishing, Oxfordshire, UK, cabi@cabi.org, www.cabi-publishing.org277 pages, 44 platesHardcover ISBN 978-0-85199-014-9; price 65 US$ 120African Journal of Aquatic Science 2007, 32(1): 95–96

The occurrence, distribution and abundance of the endangered Knysna seahorse Hippocampus capensis in 10 estuaries on South Africa's warm temperate south coast, were investigated. Seahorses were found only in the Knysna, Swartvlei and Keurbooms estuaries. Sex ratios were even and, in most cases, more adults were found than juveniles. During the first year of study, seahorse densities were higher in the Swartvlei and Keurbooms estuaries than in the comparatively larger Knysna Estuary but, during the second year, seahorses were absent from the Keurbooms estuary, and the population size in the Swartvlei Estuary had decreased by more than 80%. These results suggest that, although the two smaller estuaries are able to support comparatively high densities of seahorses, population sizes may fluctuate considerably. Population size estimates for the Knysna Estuary were similar to those obtained in a previous study, suggesting that this estuary may represent a more stable environment and may thus be particularly important for the survival and conservation of this species. Keywords: freshwater floods; Keurbooms Estuary; Knysna Estuary; Swartvlei Estuary; patchy distribution; population size fluctuation; submerged vegetationAfrican Journal of Aquatic Science 2006, 31(2): 275–283

Copper (Cu) is one of the most commonly reported metal pollutants in African water bodies, but there are few studies on African freshwater fish species of copper accumulation and copper toxicity. Adult O. mossambicus were exposed to 0mg l–1 (control) and 0.75mg l–1 Cu for 96h and 0 (control), 0.11, 0.29 and 0.47mg l–1 copper for 64 days. Samples of liver and gills were collected after 96h, and after 1, 32 and 64 days, respectively. There were significant differences in the mean Cu accumulation values in the liver and gills between the control and the Cu-exposed fish after the 96-h exposure. In fish exposed to 0.11 and 0.29mg l–1 Cu for 64 days there was an increase in copper level in the tissues. In fish exposed to 0.47mg l–1 Cu the concentration in the gill and liver tissue did not increase between Day 1 and Day 32. At this time, Cu accumulation in the liver was higher than for fish exposed to 0.11 and 0.29mg l–1 Cu for 64 days. Exposure to approximately 0.47mg l–1 Cu for more than 32 days induced mortality. Keywords: bioconcentration factor, copper toxicity, exposure times, gills, lethal concentration, liverAfrican Journal of Aquatic Science 2006, 31(1): 119–124

Blackwell Publishing, Oxford, UKPaperback, 502 pagesISBN 0-85238-222-7; price: £45.00African Journal of Aquatic Science 2005, 30(2): 213–214