The Ecology of Reef Fishes

Dear Colleagues,

 Coral reefs are among the most threatened ecosystems in the world, representing less than 1% of its surface area but concentrating approximately 25% of known marine biodiversity. In this context, the fish that inhabit coral reefs account for roughly 1 in 4 marine fish species. These species play a relevant ecological role in the functioning of reef systems; for example, reef fish are the primary top predators in reef food webs, they contribute to nutrient cycling and they are important bioengineers. Furthermore, fish are the primary macro-herbivores in reef environments, controlling the growth and development of algae, which are competitively superior to corals, and maintaining the reef development process. In general, there are eight key ecosystem processes that maintain the structure and functioning of coral reefs, with fish playing key roles in six of these eight processes. Conversely, despite the great importance of reef fish, a significant portion of these species are threatened by anthropogenic impacts such as fishing, habitat loss, and climate change, making these species vulnerable. Therefore, we invite researchers to submit papers that address topics related to the importance and relevance of reef fish as key components of the structure and functioning of coral reefs. We hope that this issue will contribute to compiling information on new aspects of reef fish ecology and culminate in better understanding and conservation of these species.

Prof. Dr. Carlos Werner Hackradt
Prof. Dr. Fabiana Cézar Félix-Hackradt
Prof. Dr. João Lucas Leão Feitosa
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Fishes is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• coral reef fish ecology
• anthropogenic impacts
• functional ecology
• population dynamics
• community structure
• movement ecology
• genetic diversity
• reef fish conservation