Fringing v. Barrier v. Atoll

Fringing v. Barrier v. Atoll

Fringing Reefs

Circular in shape.

Grow directly from shore.

Most common out of Barrier and Atoll.

Sensitive to certain human impacts.

Kind of looks like a tropical rainforest, but underwater.

Include: Sedimentation, pollution, and runoff.

Barrier Reefs

Parallel to shore.

Reef is separated from shore by a lagoon.

Less common than the other two.

Can be found in the Tropical Atlantic.

Atoll Reefs

Surrounding large Lagoons.

Occur most in Mid-Ocean.

Rare in Caribbean.