ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book deals with crucial aspects of vegetation, water clarity, temperature, oxygen, salinity, and pH for different pike life stages, all with possible climate change in mind. It provides insight into density-dependent and -independent factors affecting recruitment and survival in pike populations, and thereby crucial aspects on e.g. ecological bottlenecks for pike population density and composition. The book addresses spawning habitat restoration as a key to pike management. It reviews and analyses attempts at using pike stocking for biomanipulation and lake restoration incentives. The book reviews pike are also a natural resource for human consumption, and commercial fisheries, stock assessment and aquaculture, across geography and history. It considers the consequences of foraging and environment should be translated into growth and reproduction to contribute to lifetime fitness, and pike bioenergetics, growth and physiological capacities.
