Shark conservation and management is often hindered by a lack of basic biological information for most species. An understanding of the age structure and growth dynamics of a population is important for effective conservation and management because this information is often utilized for determination of natural mortality and longevity. Ultimately age and growth information is used for calculation of vital rates in population models. Over the last few years there have been advances in the quantitative study of age and growth of chondrichthyan fishes. Novel approaches to ageing of various chondrichthyan fishes continue to arise. This volume is a collection of papers on several of these topics that include new hard parts (e.g. caudal thorns) for assessments of age, new techniques for validation (e.g. bomb radiocarbon) and reexaminations of previous age and growth models.

Although traditional texts present isolated algorithms and data structures, they do not provide a unifying structure and offer little guidance on how to appropriately select among them. Furthermore, these texts furnish little, if any, source code and leave many of the more difficult aspects of the implementation as exercises. A fresh alternative to conventional data structures and algorithms books, A Practical Guide to Data Structures and Algorithms using Java presents comprehensive coverage of fundamental data structures and algorithms in a unifying framework with full implementation details. Recognizing that software development is a top-down process, this applications-centered book provides careful guidance to students and practitioners. Complete and thoroughly integrated Java implementations expose key differences among a wide range of important data structures, including many useful abstract data types not provided in standard Java libraries. Fundamental algorithms appear within the context of their supporting data structures. Case studies, examples, decision trees, and comparison charts throughout the stylized presentation illustrate and support an efficient methodology for the careful selection and application of data structures and algorithms. Appendices summarize major features of the Java programming language, introduce asymptotic notation and complexity analysis, and discuss design patterns applied in the book. A true marriage of theory and practice, this book sets a new standard as a comprehensive practical guide to data structures and algorithms. Practitioners and students will reach for this book often to quickly identify the best data structure or algorithm for their applications.

This volume offers a collection of papers on the quantitative assessment of age and growth in Chondrichthyan fishes. It details new hard parts for assessments of age, such as caudal thorns; new techniques like bomb radiocarbon for validation; and reexaminations of previous age and growth models. It also examines the importance of assessing the precision and accuracy of statistical formulas, analyses, and models used in age and growth studies.