What does «bentónico» mean in Spanish?
- It is said of the animal or plant that generally lives in contact with the bottom of the sea (benthos), although it can separate from it and float.
- (zona bentónica) An ecological region at the lowest level of a body of water such as an ocean, lake or stream, including the sediment surface and some subsurface layers. The organisms living in this zone are called benthos and include microorganisms (e.g., bacteria and fungi) as well as larger invertebrates such as crustaceans and polychaetes. The organisms living here generally live in close association with the substrate and many are permanently attached to the bottom. The benthic boundary layer, which includes the lower water layer and the upper sediment layer directly influenced by the overlying water, is an integral part of the benthic zone, as it greatly influences the biological activity that takes place there. Examples of contacting soil layers include sandy bottoms, rocky outcrops, coral and bay mud.