Recruitment and the structure of assemblages of fish on coral reefs.

Much recent research has focused on the question of the high species richness and population densities of fish inhabiting coral reefs. Both density-dependent (post-recruitment) and density-independent (pre-recruitment) processes have been implicated in the regulation of these assemblages. These processes may operate at a variety of spatial and temporal scales. Here we review recent progress and point to some of the key questions for future research.