GLOSSARY OF BIOLOGICAL TERMS 



AGGREGATION - The clumped distribution of individuals, in which distri- 

 bution is not random and the variance is significantly greater 

 than the mean value. 



BENTHOS - A collective term describing: (1) Bottom organisms attached 

 or resting on or in the bottom sediments. (2) Community of animals 

 living in or on the bottom. 



BIOCOENOSIS - Approximately equal to a biotic community of plants 

 (phytocoenosis) and animals (zoocoenosis] . 



BIOMASS - The amount of living material in a unit area for a point in 

 time. Also standing crop, standing stock, live weight. 



DETRITUS - Any fine particular debris, usually of organic origin, but 



sometimes defined as organic and inorganic debris. In this report, 

 the commonly used biological definition - dead organic matter. 



DEMERSAL - Organisms that live on or slightly above the bottom. 



FECUNDITY - The amount of egg or sperm production per individual or 

 population per unit time. 



INFAUNAL - The animal population living within the sediments. 



INTERSTITIAL - A term referring to the spaces between particles 

 (e.g., the spaces between sand grains). 



PERACARID CRUSTACEA - Animals in the division Peracarida of the class 

 Crustacea (including pillbugs, beach hoppers, and mysids) . 



