Editing Common snook (section)

==General ecology==

===Reproductive ecology===
The common snook is a [[protandric]] hermaphrodite fish species.<ref name="Perera-García">{{cite journal|last1=Perera-García|first1=M.A.|last2=Mendoza-Carranza|first2=M.|last3=Contreras-Sánchez|first3=W.M.|last4=Huerta-Ortíz|first4=M.|last5=Pérez-Sánchez|first5=E.|title=Reproductive biology of common snook Centropomus undecimalis (Perciformes: Centropomidae) in two tropical habitats|journal=Revista de Biología Tropical|date=2011|volume=59|issue=2|pages=669–681|pmid=21717854 |url=http://www.scielo.sa.cr/scielo.php?pid=S0034-77442011000200011&script=sci_arttext&tlng=en}}</ref> Its spawning season spans from April to October. The peak spawning occurs during July and August.<ref name=Tucker>{{cite journal|last1=Tucker|first1=J.W.|last2=Campbell|first2=S.W.|title=Spawning season of common snook along the east central Florida coast|journal=Florida Scientist|date=1988|volume=51|issue=1|pages=1–6|url=https://84a69b9b8cf67b1fcf87220d0dabdda34414436b-www.googledrive.com/host/0B0PLtJjhTxnkZDAzOGQxY2EtOTIzOS00ZjlkLWJhYmMtYWYzY2QwYmQ2ZjFi/Books/F/Florida%20Scientist,%20QUARTERLY%20JOURNAL%20of%20the%20FLORIDA%20ACADEMY%20OF%20SCIENCES/Florida%20Scientist,%20QUARTERLY%20JOURNAL%20of%20the%20FLORIDA%20ACADEMY%20OF%20SCIENCES%20VOL%2051-1-1988.pdf#page=3|access-date=2014-07-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140728092246/https://84a69b9b8cf67b1fcf87220d0dabdda34414436b-www.googledrive.com/host/0B0PLtJjhTxnkZDAzOGQxY2EtOTIzOS00ZjlkLWJhYmMtYWYzY2QwYmQ2ZjFi/Books/F/Florida%20Scientist,%20QUARTERLY%20JOURNAL%20of%20the%20FLORIDA%20ACADEMY%20OF%20SCIENCES/Florida%20Scientist,%20QUARTERLY%20JOURNAL%20of%20the%20FLORIDA%20ACADEMY%20OF%20SCIENCES%20VOL%2051-1-1988.pdf#page=3|archive-date=2014-07-28|url-status=dead}}</ref> Spawning typically occurs in near-shore waters with high [[Salinity|salinities]].<ref name=Gracia-Lopez>{{cite journal|last1=Gracia-Lopez|first1=V.|last2=Rosas-Vazquez|first2=C.|last3=Brito-Perez|first3=R.|title=Effects of salinity on physiological conditions in juvenile common snook ''Centropomus undecimalis''|journal=Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology A|date=2006|volume=145|issue=3|pages=340–345|doi=10.1016/j.cbpa.2006.07.008|pmid=16934510}}</ref> Following the spawning period, the [[Juvenile (organism)|juveniles]] then migrate to the [[brackish water]]s of the nearby [[estuarine]] environments.<ref name=Gracia-Lopez /> When these juveniles mature, they return to the higher-salinity waters of the open ocean to join the breeding population.<ref name=Gracia-Lopez />

===Habitat ecology===
The common snook is an estuarine and freshwater-dependent fish species.<ref name=Taylor>{{cite journal|last1=Taylor|first1=R.G.|last2=Grier|first2=H.J.|last3=Whittington|first3=J.A.|title=Spawning rhythms of common snook in Florida|journal=Journal of Fish Biology|date=1998|volume=53|issue=3|pages=502–520|doi=10.1111/j.1095-8649.1998.tb00998.x|bibcode=1998JFBio..53..502T }}</ref> Within estuaries, juvenile common snook are most often found inhabiting areas such as coastal wetland ponds, island networks, and creeks.<ref name=Stevens>{{cite journal|last1=Stevens|first1=P.W.|last2=Blewett|first2=D.A.|last3=Poulakis|first3=G.R.|title=Variable habitat use by juvenile common snook, Centropomus undecimalis (Pisces: Centropomidae): applying a life-history model in a southwest Florida estuary|journal=Bulletin of Marine Science|date=2007|volume=80|issue=1|pages=93–108|url=http://docserver.ingentaconnect.com/deliver/connect/umrsmas/00074977/v80n1/s5.pdf?expires=1406513293&id=78767465&titleid=10983&accname=Guest+User&checksum=93E9D1EFD64C8EE789C03A2BE2AB2B7F}}</ref> Despite being a [[euryhaline]] species of fish, the common snook shows a tendency to gravitate towards lower-salinity conditions in the early stages of its life.<ref name=Peterson>{{cite journal|last1=Peterson|first1=M.S.|last2=Gilmore|first2=G.R.|title=Eco-Physiology of Juvenile Snook Centropomus Undecimalis (Bloch): Life-History Implications|journal=Bulletin of Marine Science|date=1991|volume=48|issue=1|pages=46–57|url=http://www.usm.edu/gcrl/cv/peterson.mark/docs/2007.05.14%20Peterson%20and%20Gilmore%201991.pdf}}</ref> By being able to adapt and thrive in both high- and low-salinity conditions through [[osmoregulation]], common snook display a high level of habitat [[Phenotypic plasticity|plasticity]].<ref name=Rhody>{{cite journal|last1=Rhody|first1=N.R.|last2=Nassif|first2=N.A.|last3=Main|first3=K.L.|title=Sarasota, FL, US, p. 30. Rhody, N. R., Nassif, N. A., and Main, K. L. 2010. Effects of salinity on growth and survival of common snook Centropomus undecimalis (Bloch, 1792) larvae|journal=Aquaculture Research|date=2010|volume=41|issue=9|pages=357–360|doi=10.1111/j.1365-2109.2010.02511.x|doi-access=free}}</ref>

Common snook are [[Predation|opportunistic predators]] whose feeding habits indicate a positive relationship between their size and the size of their prey, meaning that as the snook grows, it feeds on larger and larger prey.<ref name=Blewett>{{cite journal|last1=Blewett|first1=N.R.|last2=Hensley|first2=R.A.|last3=Stevens|first3=P.W.|title=Feeding habits of common snook, Centropomus undecimalis, in Charlotte Harbor, Florida|journal=Gulf and Caribbean Research|date=2006|volume=18|page=1|doi=10.18785/gcr.1801.01|url=http://www.usm.edu/gcrl/gulf_caribbean_research/docs/Abstracts%20from%20Vol%2018%202005.pdf|access-date=2014-07-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140728100506/http://www.usm.edu/gcrl/gulf_caribbean_research/docs/Abstracts%20from%20Vol%2018%202005.pdf|archive-date=2014-07-28|url-status=dead}}</ref> Common snook occasionally engage in [[Cannibalism (zoology)|cannibalism]].<ref name="Adams and Wolfe">{{cite journal|last1=Adams|first1=A.J.|last2=Wolfe|first2=R.K.|title=Cannibalism of juveniles by adult common snook (Centropomus undecimalis)|journal=Gulf of Mexico Science|date=2006|volume=24|issue=1/2|page=11|url=http://fishermanscoast.com/research/Adams%20and%20Wolfe%20GOMS%202006%20snook.pdf}}</ref> This usually occurs during the winter when adults and juveniles are in close proximity to one another within their estuarine habitats.<ref name="Adams and Wolfe" /> This form of cannibalism where the juveniles are fed on by the adults is referred to as intercohort cannibalism.<ref name="Adams and Wolfe" /> The adult common snook that cannibalize juveniles most likely target them because the juveniles may be the largest of the available prey, so are nutritionally efficient to prey upon.<ref name="Adams and Wolfe" />

===Physiological ecology===
Common snook, like many species of fish, are very in tune with their environments. Even a slight change in their surroundings can have a significant impact on their behavior. For example, common snook are able to determine when to start and stop spawning based on the temperature and salinity of the water they inhabit, the amount of rainfall in the area, and whether or not the moon is full.<ref name=Peters>{{cite journal|last1=Peters|first1=K.M.|last2=Matheson Jr.|first2=R.E.|last3=Taylor|first3=R.G.|title=Reproduction and early life history of common snook, Centropomus undecimalis (Bloch), in Florida|journal=Bulletin of Marine Science|date=1998|volume=62|issue=2|pages=509–529|url=http://docserver.ingentaconnect.com/deliver/connect/umrsmas/00074977/v62n2/s15.pdf?expires=1406518402&id=78767866&titleid=10983&accname=Guest+User&checksum=5D3BFB3208AF8C1FC4D577944D701AAC}}</ref><ref name="Aliaume">{{Cite journal |last=Aliaume |first=C. |last2=Zerbi |first2=A. |last3=Miller |first3=John M. |date=2005 |title=Juvenile snook species in Puerto Rico estuaries: distribution, abundance and habitat description |url=https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Juvenile-snook-species-in-Puerto-Rico-estuaries%3A-Aliaume-Zerbi/05b924fa4f8c8e3051adfb3791a563da69d47c26 |journal=Proc. Gulf Carib. Fish. Institute |volume=47 |pages=499–519}}</ref>

In some cases, disturbances in their environment can have very negative effects on the snook population. One example is the devastating results of a [[cold snap]]. Snook are very susceptible to cold temperatures, with the effects ranging from the complete halt of all feeding at a water temperature of {{convert|14.2|C|F}}, to the loss of [[Equilibrioception|equilibrium]] at {{convert|12.7|C|F}}, to death at a temperature of {{convert|12.5|C|F}}.<ref name="Shafland and Foote">{{Cite journal |last=Shafland |first=Paul L. |last2=Foote |first2=Karen Jo |date=1983-10-01 |title=A Lower Lethal Temperature for Fingerling Snook, Centropomus undecimalis |url=https://aquila.usm.edu/goms/vol6/iss2/12 |journal=Northeast Gulf Science |volume=6 |issue=2 |pages=175–177 |doi=10.18785/negs.0602.12 |issn=0148-9836}}</ref> A cold snap in January 2010 resulted in a 41.88% decline in nominal [[Abundance (ecology)|abundance]] of the common snook population in southwest Florida from the previous year and a 96–97% decrease in apparent survival estimates.<ref name="Adams 2012">{{cite journal|last1=Adams|first1=A.J.|last2=Hill|first2=J.E.|last3=Barbour|first3=A.B.|title=Effects of a severe cold event on the subtropical, estuarine-dependent common snook, Centropomus undecimalis|journal=Gulf and Caribbean Research|date=2012|volume=24|pages=13–21|doi=10.18785/gcr.2401.03|url=http://www.fishermanscoast.com/research/adams_et_al_GCR_2012_snook-cold-kill.pdf}}</ref>