We compare the molecular beam epitaxy growth and recovery kinetics under layer-by-layer growth conditions on the (001) surfaces of GaAs, InAs and GaSb using in situ surface X-ray diffraction. Whereas the growth conditions can be adjusted to yield comparable deposition kinetics, we find distinct differences in the recovery behavior of the three surfaces. We conclude that the rnesoscopic structure of the growth front that often determines device performance depends on the detailed kinetics on an atomic scale. © 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.