1. Coral reefs in the Anthropocene -- 2 Reefs and limestones in Earth history -- 3. Reef biology and geology - not just a matter of scale -- 4. Bio erosion and coral reef growth: a dynamic balance -- 5. Interactions between corals and their symbiotic algae -- 6. Exploring coral reefs using the tools of molecular genetics -- 7. Genomic potential for coral survival of climate change -- 8. Diseases of coral reef organisms -- 9. Geographic Differences in Ecological Processes on Coral Reefs -- 10. Reef fishes, seaweeds and corals: a complex triangle -- 11. Coral disturbance and recovery in a changing world -- 12. Biology trumps management: feedbacks and constraints of life-history traits. .