Glossary

detritus

In biology, organic debris most often formed via the decomposition of organisms.

Used in 207 species profiles

aufwuchs
Adopted German term meaning 'surface growth' used to describe the aggregate of plants, animals and detritus adhering to solid surfaces such as rocks or vegetation in aquatic environments.
decomposition
Natural, ecological process in which organic material is broken down into simpler substances which may then be used by other organisms. Typically biotic and carried out by microbes, worms, and other organisms but can also be abiotic and occur via chemical or physical processes such as oxidation or hydrolysis.
organic
Of, relating to, or derived from living organisms.
periphyton
Sessile, aquatic organisms that live attached to submerged surfaces in aquatic environments. Often complex in form and may comprise organisms from several groups including algae, cyanobacteria, other microbes, and detritus.