Both shallow and deep-water coral reefs are home to diverse communities of organisms. The intricate branching structure of many coral species provides important habitat to many species. It also provides structure that is important to some animals that climb the corals to be able to grab food out of the waters above the seafloor. Some animals even eat the soft tissue of the coral polyps. The hard skeletons of stony corals continue to provide habitat to other organisms long after the coral dies.