The dynamical stability of populations and ecosystems governs their responsiveness to fluctuating environmental conditions and determines with what reliability these natural resources provide life-sustaining services to society. Population and ecosystem stability is thus a major structuring theme in ecology. Coral reefs are believed by many to have the highest biodiversity of any ecosystem on the planet even more than a tropical rainforest. Occupying less than one percent of the ocean floor, coral reefs are home to more than 25% of all marine life.