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Welcomme, R. L. (1979). Fisheries ecology of floodplain rivers. Longman, London (United Kingdom).

This book assembles information on the general ecology of those rivers that undergo seasonal flooding, and applies it to the special case of fisheries. The author shows how the various activities occurring in river basins can influence the fish communities inhabiting them. The book is divided into six parts, the first of which is a general introduction outlining previous work done in the field. This is followed by a substantial section on the environment, dealing with the physical and chemical composition of rivers and their floodplains. It also summarises data on the living elements of the system other than fish. A section on fish discusses the adaptations they show for life in a fluctuating environment, and examines the effects of seasonal alternations of flood and dry phases on feeding, growth, reproduction, mortality and the general dynamics of the community. The fishery is treated in a fourth section, which considers the specialisation of fishermen and their gear to the river environment. It also reviews the state of exploitation of some of the main rivers of the world, and examines how catch is related to such variables as water regime and fisherman density. The fifth section explores the relationships of the fish community to other activities in the river basin. The concluding chapter discusses the stages through which fish communities and fisheries pass as the environment is altered by basin development.