[5] L. arboreum is not typically one of these dominant octocorals, but can compose up to 36% of living soft coral coverage, as seen in the Gulf of Umm al-Rashrash Nature Reserve.

[5] In other Red Sea locations, L. arboreum composes as little as 3% of soft coral coverage, such as in the South and Center Muqebla regions.

[5] Similarly, physical factors—such as wave action, temperature variation, salinity and light– and biological factors– such as competition, predation, and disease– limit the success and prevalence of L.

[6] Spur and groove formations are most likely absent due to the relatively calm waters of the Gulf of Aqaba; the lack of major wind and wave action eliminates the force required.

[7] In situations of environmental uptake, zooplankton can act as an intermediary, transferring the Symbiodinium from the surrounding water column, to the daughter colony.

[7] L. arboreum undergoes oogenesis cyclically, biannually, and has a highly specialized mechanism of symbiont uptake indicative of obligate mutualism and coevolution between the Symbiodinium and the L.

[7] During oogenesis, Symbiodinium found in the adjacent gastrovascular cavity of the parent L. arboreum are incorporated into the haploid daughter cells of the oocytes.

This strategy of maternal symbion transfer may lead to more successful colonization; individuals have a higher chance of survival if new colonies do not need to establish their own symbiosis.

[7] Historically, this maternal symbiont transfer is of great significance, because it is the first indication of cell-bound Symbiodinium found in the vacuoles of parent cells not being exclusively used for symbiosis.

A 2006 study showed that 83% of Red Sea Alcyonacean corals exhibited antimicrobial activity against a variety of marine bacteria found in the surrounding environment.

[8] A 2018 study specifically on  L. arboreum was able to find and isolate a pseudoguaiane-type sesquiterpene compound, an organic molecule, litopharbol, which exhibits both antimicrobial and anticancer activity, and has direct applications to medicine.