I. Introduction (R. Spies, T. Cooney).II. Ecosystem structure.A. Introduction (R. Spies). B. The physical environment of the Gulf of Alaska (T. Weingartner). C. The marine production cycle (T. Cooney). D. The transfer of matter and energy through the food web (T. Cooney). E. Strategies for survival. 1. Introduction (A.M. Springer). 2. Fishes. a. Introduction (T. Cooney). b. Pink salmon (T. Cooney). c. Herring (T. Cooney). d. Pollock (K. Bailey). 3. Seabirds (M. Benowitz-Fredericks, A.S. Kitaysky, A.M. Springer). 4. Marine mammals (S.J. Iverson, A.M. Springer). 5. Crabs and shrimp (G. Kruse). III. Agents of change. A. Introduction (R.Spies). B. Climate (T. Weingartner). C. Geophysical (R. Spies). D. Species interactions (G. Kruse). E. Marine mammal harvest and fishing (G. Kruse, A.M. Springer). F. Disease (P. Reno). G. Contaminants (R. Spies, S. Rice). IV. Long-term change in the northern Gulf of Alaska. A. Introduction (R. Spies, T. Weingartner). B. Atmosphere and ocean (T. Weingartner). C. Zooplankton (T. Cooney). D. History and production trends in salmon (T. Cooney). E. Pacific herring (E. Brown). F. Groundfish (W. Boeing, M.H. Martin, J.T. Duffy-Anderson). G. Seabirds (A.M. Springer). H. Seabirds in Cook Inlet (J.F. Piatt, A.M.A. Harding). I. Marine mammals (A.M. Springer, S.J. Iverson, J.L. Bodkin). J. Crabs and shrimp (G. Kruse). V. The Exxon Valdez Oil Spill (S. Rice, J.W. Short, M.G, Carls, A. Moles, R. Spies). VI. Long-term changes in the Gulf of Alaska: Properties and causes (R. Spies, T. Cooney, A.M. Springer, T. Weingartner, G. Kruse).