A Coral Reef

fringing reefs can grow around the beach, but the reef is raised above the surface of the Dead Sea and white chalk. If the land to subside slowly, fringing reefs keep pace with growing up on the foundation of an older, dead coral, forming a barrier reef enclosing a lagoon between the reef and land. A coral barrier may surround an island, and all islands are sinking below sea level around a circular atoll of coral growth continues to compete with the surface of the sea, forming a central lagoon. Barrier reefs and atolls usually do not form a complete circle, but broken in places by storm. Such as sea level rise, under subsided quickly could overwhelm coral growth,