initiated recently, some of th 

 long term experimental manipul 

 available to the scientific pu 

 date exchange of ideas and inf 

 gators seemed highly desirable 

 and the ensuing volume of T he 

 Reefs include contributions fr 

 each of the institutional site 

 contributions from invest igato 

 a variety of other geographica 



The papers are organized in 

 addresses the currently import 

 patterns in coral reef environ 

 overview of the factors that c 

 in populations of different ha 

 these causal factors. Using 1 

 evaluate life history patterns 

 Hughes arrives at the interest 

 and injury-mortality (but not 

 shallower (10 m) than deeper ( 

 Brakel provides an interesting 

 that influence the morphology 

 He shows that light and water 

 but instead place phenotypic c 

 of corals in deep and shallow 



Providing a conceptual link 

 patterns and the following cha 

 organisms, the second set of p 

 which we probably know the lea 

 factors control recruitment? 

 overview of how offshore curre 

 eddies can influence recruitme 

 fishes. The widespread occurr 

 organisms, particularly in tro 

 consequences for both ecologic 

 One consequence is that kin se 

 marine organisms than in taxa 

 widespread dispersal (e.g., ma 

 water environments). Shapiro 

 analysis of the processes of p 

 mechanisms that may prevent di 

 that prevent dispersion, and s 

 fishes that would be most like 

 kin selection. Also, as point 

 knowledge of the dynamics of r 

 key role in our understanding 

 In order to understand the str 

 know how and when recruits col 

 experiments on settling and me 

 describes bands that identify 

 to an indistinctly banded zone 

 then a period of benthic metam 

 amorphic bands. These marks o 

 tool for determining the preci 

 that is independent of the fir 



e results (e.g., those involving 

 ations) are not yet generally 

 blic. An opportunity for an up-to- 

 ormation among groups of invest i- 



at this time. Consequently, this 

 E col ogy of Deep and Shal 1 ow Coral 

 om researchers who have worked at 

 s mentioned above, as well as 

 rs who have studied coral reefs in 

 1 1 oca t i ons . 



to four chapters. The first chapter 

 ant topic of growth and life history 

 ments. Sebens provides a general 

 an cause different size distributions 

 bitats and suggests ways of isolating 

 ong term monitoring techniques to 



of corals over a depth gradient, 

 ing conclusion that both recruitment 

 necessarily growth) are higher in 

 35 m) sites on a Jamaican reef. 



biophysical analysis of the factors 

 of corals over a 27 m depth gradient, 

 movement do not directly determine, 

 onstraints, on the possible shapes 

 environments, respectively. 



between the chapter on life history 

 pter on community structure of reef 

 apers addresses the issue about 

 st in coral reef ecology: what 

 Lobel and Robinson provide an 

 nts and particularly mesoscale 

 nt of the planktonic larvae of reef 

 ence of dispersing larvae in marine 

 pical species, has many important 

 al and evolutionary processes, 

 lection should be less likely in 

 which are characterized by less 

 ny species in terrestrial or fresh 

 addresses this question with an 

 assive dispersion _y_s. the biological 

 spersion. He evaluates mechanisms 

 uggests particular taxa of reef 

 ly to show the characteristics of 

 ed out by Lobel and Robinson, our 

 ecruitment undoubtedly will play a 

 of how communities are organized, 

 ucture of a community, we must 

 onize particular sites. Using 

 tamorphosing fish larvae, Victor 

 the planktonic stage, a transition 



that corresponds to settling and 

 orphosis, and distinct postmet- 

 n the otolith provide a valuable 

 se time of settling and metamorphosis 

 st visual observations of recruits. 



