periphyton
American Heritage Dictionary:
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pe·riph·y·ton
(pə-rĭf'ĭ-tŏn') 
n.
Sessile organisms, such as algae and small crustaceans, that live attached to surfaces projecting from the bottom of a freshwater aquatic environment.
n.
Sessile organisms, such as algae and small crustaceans, that live attached to surfaces projecting from the bottom of a freshwater aquatic environment.
[New Latin, from Greek periphuton, from neuter sing. of periphutos, planted all over, from periphuein, to grow around, cling to : peri-, peri- + phuein, to grow.]
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Periphyton
Periphyton are a complex mixture of algae, cyanobacteria, heterotrophic microbes, and detritus that are attached to submerged surfaces in most aquatic ecosystems. It serves as an important food source for invertebrates, tadpoles, and some fish. It can also absorb contaminants; removing them from the watercolumn and limiting their movement through the environment. The periphyton is also an important indicator of water quality; responses of this community to pollutants can be measured at a variety of scales representing physiological to community-level changes.
Periphyton communities are used in aquaculture food production systems for the removal of solid and dissolved pollutants. Their performance in filtration is established and their application as aquacultural feed is being researched.
A risk for periphyton stems from urbanization. Increased turbidity levels associated with urban sprawl can smother periphyton causing its detachment from the rocks they live on. They can be important for the clearance of harmful chemicals and reducing turbidity.
Periphyton serve as good indicators of water quality[1] because:
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- They have a naturally high number of species.
- They have a fast response to changes.
- They are easy to sample.
- They are known for their tolerance/sensitivity to change.
External links
Marine Biological Laboratory Sustainable Aquaculture Initiative Developing plant-based fish diets and pond management protocols for the Comprehensive Development Project (CODEP) in L’Acul, Haiti Macrophyte and Periphyton lab
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References
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American Heritage Dictionary
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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