Coral bleaching events lead to increased disease susceptibility, which causes detrimental ecological effects for reef communities.

The study provided evidence that biodiversity in microalgal reef communities possess some relationship with their proximity to the outer edge of lagoon systems typical of the Western Australian coast.

Many other organisms living in the reef community contribute skeletal calcium carbonate in the same manner.

Most particularly, Bronnie helped with Beebe's groundbreaking coral reef studies, which awakened interest in the unparalleled interdependence of life in the reef community.

The regal sea fan is part of a biodiverse reef community.

The Red Grouper is an opportunistic feeder and a top predator in the reef community.

Dr. Goreau said sponges, coralline algae and sea urchins were also succumbing to new illnesses, further threatening the health of reef communities.

Living coral reefs form one more attraction for tourists on this island, although coral bleaching has stressed some reef communities in the Caribbean.

However brittle stars are also common, if cryptic, members of reef communities, where they hide under rocks and even within other living organisms.

It lives symbiotically on corals, sea anemones and other marine invertebrates in shallow reef communities.