Benthos
Benthos are the organisms which live on, in, or near the seabed, also known as the benthic zone.[1] Although the term derived from the Greek for "depths of the sea"[1], the term is also used in freshwater biology to refer to organisms at the bottoms of freshwater bodies of water, such as lakes, rivers, and streams.[2]
Animals belonging to the benthos are sometimes referred to as zoobenthos, while plants are referred to as phytobenthos.
Benthos can be categorized according to size:
- macrobenthos, size > 1 mm
- meiobenthos, size < 1 mm and > 32 µm
- microbenthos, size < 32 µm
- epibenthos lives on top of the sediment
- hyperbenthos lives just above the sediment
Benthic organisms play an important role as a food source for fish and some also for humans.
Examples of benthic organisms are sea stars, oysters, clams, sea cucumbers, brittle stars and sea anemones.
- ^ a b Benthos from the Census of Antarctic Marine Life website
- ^ About the North American Benthological Society, from that organization's website