1. Introduction -- 2. The Northeast Gulf of Mexico -- 3. Long-Term Studies: Northeastern Gulf of Mexico -- 4. Trophic Organization in Gulf Coastal Systems -- 5. Structural Components of Trophic Organization -- 6. Coastal Phytoplankton Organization -- 7. Food Web Response to Plankton Blooms -- 8. Comparative Aspects of Trophic Organization -- 9. Regulation and Food Web Factors -- 10. Trophic Organization and Resource Management -- 11. Ecosystem Studies: Approaches and Methods -- 12. Conclusions -- 13. Summary of Results -- App.I. Field/Laboratory Methods Used for the CARRMA Studies (1971 through 2002) -- App.II. Trophic Organization of Infaunal and Epibenthic Macroinvertebrates and Fishes -- App.III. Statistical Analyses Used in the Long-Term Studies of the Northeastern Gulf of Mexico (1971 through 2002)

1. Coastal ecology -- United States
2. Food chains (Ecology) -- United States