Coral Reefs: Part 2

Map info. courtesy of Taylor

SIMILARITIES:
-all types of coral reefs
-need hard surface to grow
-all have reef flats, reef slopes, and reef crests
-variety of coral grow on reef flats and reef slopes
-fish live in all the reefs

DIFFERENCES:
-barrier reefs and atolls have spur and grooves
-fringing reefs grow close to shore
-barrier reefs are separate by a lagoon and atolls surround lagoons
-fringing reefs can extend all the way to shore
-no atolls due since Saipan is a raised-limestone island