Macrobenthos

Macrobenthos consists of the organisms that live at the bottom of a water column^[1] and are visible to the naked eye.^[2] In some classification schemes, these organisms are larger than 1 mm;^[1] in another, the smallest dimension must be at least 0.5 mm.^[3] They include polychaete worms, pelecypods, anthozoans, echinoderms, sponges, ascidians, crustaceans.

A visual examination of macroorganisms at the bottom of an aquatic ecosystem can be a good indicator of water quality.^[4]

References[edit]

^ ^a ^b J.S. Link, C.A. Griswold, E.T. Methratta, J. Gunnard, Editors. 2006. Documentation for the Energy Modeling and Analysis eXercise (EMAX) Archived 2013-02-27 at the Wayback Machine. United States Department of Commerce, Northeast Fisheries Science Center. Reference Document 06-15 Chapter 8.
^ "Macrobenthos definition". Mondofacto. 9 Oct 1997. Archived from the original on 23 June 2013. Retrieved 2011-01-26.
^ "Macrobenthos definition". Science-Dictionary.com. Archived from the original on 2011-07-16. Retrieved 2011-01-26.
^ Mulligan CN, Fukue M and Sato Y (2010) Sediments Contamination and Sustainable Remediation page 30, CRC Press. ISBN 9781420062236.

Aquatic ecosystems

General	Acoustic ecology Adaptation Agent-based models Algal bloom Anoxic waters Aquatic animals (Insects Mammals) Aquatic plants Aquatic science Benthos Biodiversity research Bioluminescence Biomass Biomonitoring Cascade effect Colored dissolved organic matter Camouflage and mimicry Dead zone Ecohydrology Ecosystems Eutrophication Fisheries science Food chain Food web GIS and aquatic science Hydrobiology Hypoxia Isotope analysis Macrobenthos Meiobenthos Microbial ecology Microbial food web Microbial loop Nekton Neuston Particle Pelagic zone Photic zone Phytoplankton Plankton Pleuston Predation Productivity Ramsar Convention Respiration Schooling Sediment trap Siltation Spawning Substrate Thermal pollution Toxicology Trophic level Water column Zooplankton More...
Freshwater	Biology Biomes Ecosystems freshwater lake river Fish Hyporheic zone Limnology Lake stratification Macrophyte Pond Fish pond Rheotaxis Stream bed Stream pool Trophic state index Upland and lowland Water garden Wetland brackish marsh freshwater marsh swamp bog fen Environmental quality More...
Ecoregions	Freshwater (List) Marine (List) The Everglades Maharashtra The North Pacific Subtropical Gyre The San Francisco Estuary

Marine	Marine biology Marine chemistry Deep scattering layer Diel vertical migration Ecosystems large marine marine) f-ratio Food web Iron fertilization Marine snow Ocean nourishment Oceanic physical-biological process Primary production Ocean turbidity Photophore Thorson's rule Upwelling Viral shunt Whale fall More...
Marine life	Bacteriophages Census Fish coastal coral reef deep sea demersal pelagic Deep sea communities Deep sea creature Deep-water coral Invertebrates Larvae Mammals Marine life Microorganisms Paradox of the plankton Prokaryotes Protists Reptiles Seabirds Seashore wildlife Vertebrates Viruses Wild fisheries
Marine habitats	Bay mud Coastal biogeomorphology Cold seeps Coral reefs Davidson Seamount Estuaries Intertidal ecology Intertidal wetlands Kelp forests Hydrothermal vents Lagoons Mangroves Marine biomes Mudflats Oyster reefs Rocky shores Salt marshes Salt pannes and pools Seagrass meadows Sponge grounds Sponge reefs Tide pools
Issues	Coral bleaching Ecological values of mangroves Fisheries and climate change HERMIONE Human impact on marine life Marine conservation Marine conservation activism Marine pollution Marine Protected Area
Oceans portal