Standard Lengths and Mean Weights for Prey-base Fishes from Taylor River and Joe Bay Sites, Everglades National Park (FCE), South Florida from January 2000 to April 2004

Prey-base fishes. The small demersal fishes of the coastal wetlands are a keystone element in this ecosystem. They are the primary and secondary consumers of the plants mentioned above and they are the primary food resource for myriad piscine (e.g. game species of fish), reptilian (e.g. juvenile crocodiles) and avian (e.g. wading birds) predators. The community dynamics of these fishes are dictated by hydrologic and hydrographic parameters so they also respond predictably to water management practices. Because they are a bottle-neck in the food web, their abundance and availability dictate the success of higher trophic levels. Fish are sampled in June, September and monthly from November through April at five locations. A 9m2 drop trap designed specifically for this habitat are used to quantify fish use. Nine traps are used at each site.