Coral and Coral Reef

There are three major kinds of coral reefs: fringing reefs, barrier reefs, and atolls. Fringing reefs are located in shallow water close to shore, either with or without a shallow lagoon. Barrier reefs are also located in shallow water, but with a deep lagoon separating the reef from the shoreline and a steep reef front. Both fringing and barrier reefs form on shallow continental shelves and along island shorelines. Atolls are ring-shaped coral reefs centered around a deep lagoon. They are typically found in the vicinity of volcanic seamounts and islands located in the deep ocean.