🪸
Neritic Zone
Coral Reef Types Deep
The major coral reef types - fringing, barrier, atoll - each with distinct geological history and biological communities.
Depth: 0-40m Light: Sunlight
📖 Overview
Fringing reefs grow directly off shorelines. Barrier reefs sit further offshore, separated by lagoons (Great Barrier Reef). Atolls are ring-shaped reefs surrounding lagoons where former volcanic islands have subsided (the Maldives, French Polynesia). Each type hosts distinct fish assemblages.