Lagoon - Introduction

A lagoon is a shallow body of water separated from a larger body of water by barrier islands, reefs, isthmuses or peninsulas. This article will share some insights into the different types of lagoons.

When barrier bars and spits form at the mouth of a bay and block it, a lagoon forms. The lagoons would gradually get filled up by sediments from the land giving rise to a coastal plain.

Lagoon – Types

Coral lagoons and barrier island or coastal lagoons are the two types of lagoons. More information about these two types of lagoons are given below.

Coral Lagoons – Locations

Coral lagoons have the conditions necessary for coral growth. For many island communities in the Pacific, the coral lagoons are of great importance. Coral lagoons are restricted to tropical open seas.

  • Coral lagoons are mainly found within 25° latitude of the Equator.
  • Coral lagoons are found in the isolated places of the Caribbean, parts of the Indian Ocean, and found widely in the western Pacific.
  • The atolls of the Pacific Ocean are the most spectacular examples of coral reefs.
  • The Great Barrier Reef of Australia is another example where coral lagoons are found.

Coastal or Barrier Island Lagoons – Locations

Coastal lagoons or Barrier Island lagoons are characterized by brackish marshes, fine-grained sedimentation, and quiet water conditions.

  • Coastal or Barrier Island lagoons are formed only where there is abundant sediment for construction of the protective barrier islands.
  • Coastal or Barrier Island lagoons rarely occur where high cliffs form the coast.
  • These lagoons are usually associated with low coasts.
  • They occur where the swells are usually less violent.
  • Coastal or Barrier Island lagoons are characterized by brackish marshes, fine-grained sedimentation, and quiet water conditions.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1

What is a lagoon? Give an example.

A lagoon is a shallow body of water protected from a larger body of water (usually the ocean) by sandbars, barrier islands, or coral reefs. Chilika lake is an example of a lagoon.
Q2

Is a lagoon the same as a lake?

Lakes are either freshwater or saltwater whereas lagoons have varying salinities. Lagoons connect to a bigger body of water whereas lakes are almost always landlocked.
Q3

Do lagoons have fish?

Organisms, such as fish and jellies, surf in as waves from the ocean crash over the atoll and dump them in the lagoon. Due to the ringing atoll, many lagoons have few indigenous species.
Q4

What is the difference between a lagoon and a bay?

A bay is surrounded by a land formation. A lagoon is a shallow body of water protected from a larger body of water (usually the ocean) by sandbars, barrier islands, or coral reefs.