Coral and coral reef are two nouns that we often hear, and many people confuse them because of their similar names. In fact, coral and coral reef do not refer to the same thing, and they can not be regarded as the same just because their names are similar. In fact, the difference between them is very big. Although there are some links between them, the differences are more significant.
1. Whether it is biological: The biggest difference between coral and coral reef is whether it is biological. Coral belongs to living things, they have life, and they are a kind of animal, can carry out all kinds of life activities. But coral reefs are different, they are not biological, but belong to a geological structure, can not be said to be living.
2. Composition: The structure of coral and coral reef is also different. Coral is made up of coral polyps, and the coral that we often see shaped like a Bush is a group of animals made up of multiple coral polyps. A coral reef, on the other hand, is an ecosystem made up of corals and the surrounding coral reef organisms. Specifically, it consists of the remains of corals, the bones of other animals and so on. That is to say, coral reefs may contain dead coral fossils among their components. In this respect, the two are not completely different, but also have a certain connection. There are many kinds of coral reefs, such as fringing reefs, island reefs, platform reefs and so on.
