modes or life

Question 1

benthonic

Answer 1

organism lives on or in the sediment substrate of the sea floor

Question 2

infaunal

Answer 2

organism lives in the sediment, usually in a burrow. many will filter feed. e.g. a bivalve clam

Question 3

epifaunal

Answer 3

organism liven on the sediment substrate e.g. bivalve oyster

Question 4

vagrant

Answer 4

organism moves around on the sea floor and is usually a scavenger or a predator. e.g. echinoid

Question 5

sessile

Answer 5

organism does not move around on the sea sediment substrate. some are attached to the sea floor others lie on the sea floor. most will filter feed. e.g. bivalve mussel

Question 6

pelagic

Answer 6

organism lives in water column typically in the surface layers

Question 7

planktonic

Answer 7

floats in the water column to wherever the current will take he organism. usually a filter feeder. e.g. graptolite

Question 8

nektonic

Answer 8

actively swims in the water column. most are scavengers or predators. e.g. ammonite