MEANING
1. The organisms living on, in, or closely associated with the bottom of a body of water.
2. The bottom region of a sea or other body of water, considered as a habitat.
Use it for
describing life on or within the seabed; grouping bottom-dwelling organisms; contrasting seabed communities with open-water lifeSeparates bottom-associated life from swimmers and drifters while preserving the less common habitat sense. Writing functions: Bottom-associated aquatic life.
Words that belong together
- marine benthos
- soft-bottom benthos
- benthos surveys
On the page
The dredge revealed a benthos dominated by worms and small clams.
Pollution changed the composition of the benthos near the outfall.
The older account uses benthos for the bottom habitat itself.
The diagram separates the open water from the benthos below.
Word forms
- Base
- benthos
Usage notes
Collective noun for bottom-dwelling organisms; normally no ordinary plural. The older habitat meaning is treated separately. Register: technical. Commonness: uncommon outside ecology (dictionary-informed qualitative editorial estimate; not a measured frequency).
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
Keep a thought for later. Sign in to save privately.