The Ecology of fishes on coral reefs /

The development of scuba gear opened the coral reef environment to detailed ecological observation and study. Coral reefs are unique environments because they are highly diverse communities that are largely self-contained. Studies of reef communities have contributed greatly to current concepts in ecology as indicated by frequent references found in ecological works like Ivan Valiela's Marine Ecological Processes (CH, Dec'84). The most conspicuous organisms in the reef community are the many species of fishes. There has been extensive study of the varied and unique ecological roles of coral reef fishes but, excepting faunal reviews, the literature has been almost entirely in the form of journal publications, including attempts to survey the literature. Sale, an active tropical reef fish ecologist, has invited 18 productive US and Australian reef fish ecologists to review the literature in their respective disciplines. The result is well organized and provides a comprehensive review of approximately 1,650 references. Pictoral and graphic illustrations suitably complement the text. Advanced undergraduates and up. R. L. Ridenhour; Humboldt State University