A fringing reef is one of the three main types of coral reef. It is distinguished from the other main types, See more

There are few differences between fringing reefs and barrier reefs. Distinguishing between these two reef types involves assessing the depth of the lagoon behind the back reef. Barrier reefs feature deeper sections wit… See more

There are two main components that make up a fringing reef: the reef flat and the reef slope.
The reef flat is the shoreward, flat, broadest area of the reef. The reef flat is found in fairly shallo… See more

Fringing reefs are located near shore in the tropics in many areas and are the most common reef type. Coral reefs are found in the tropics in which the water is between 18 and 30 °C (64 and 86 °F). Many of the Great Barri… See more

The most important determinant of reef growth is available space as determined by sea level changes. Sea level changes are mostly a result of glaciation or plate tectonics. Tectonic activity can have detrimenta… See more

As with other types of reefs, there are many reasons of fringing reef destruction. Destructive fishing practices, such as cyanide fishing, blast fishing, bottom trawling, and muro-ami (banging on the reef with sticks), ma… See more