What are the three main types of coral reefs?
1. Fringing Reef: These reefs grow near the shorelines. Fringing reefs are the youngest type of reefs. Fringing reefs are the most common reef in the Caribbean Sea. 2. Barrier Reef: These reefs grow parallel to a coastline, far from shore, separated by a wide, deep lagoon. 3. Atoll: Atolls start as fringing reefs around volcanic islands. When the island sinks the reef continues to grow and the coral ring remains where the island used to be. Atolls are the oldest type of reef. Atolls are rare in the Caribbean Sea, but common in the Indo-Pacific.
