bioturbationn.
/ˌbʌɪə(ʊ)təˈbeɪʃn/, U.S. /ˌbaɪoʊtərˈbeɪʃ(ə)n/ Palaeontology and Ecology.
The disturbance of sediment by burrowing or other activity of living organisms; the disturbed state that results.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > water > sea or ocean > region of sea or ocean > [noun] > sea bed > disturbance of sediment
bioturbation1963
1963 D. V. Ager Princ. Paleoecol. vii. 110 When studied closely enough, a large proportion of shallow-water sediments show signs of bioturbation, or disturbance by burrowing organisms.
1976 Nature 17 June 576/2 Complete bioturbation extending over several centimetres has been noticed at three horizons.
1984 A. C. Duxbury & A. Duxbury Introd. World's Oceans xv. 487 Deep sediments are continually disturbed and reworked by sea cucumbers and worms... This process is called bioturbation.
1997 Oxoniensia 61 169 Bioturbation is evident throughout the sample through the channel-like pores and the occurrence of biogenic calcite granules.
2006 D. H. Erwin Extinction vii. 183 Changes in bioturbation of the sediment that can be a sensitive indicator of environmental conditions.
Derivatives
ˌbioturˈbational adj. of or relating to bioturbation.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > water > sea or ocean > region of sea or ocean > [adjective] > relating to or disturbed by bioturbation
bioturbated1962
bioturbational1969
1969 Jrnl. Sedimentary Petrol. 39 606/1 Bioturbational processes like..closing of burrows by compaction and the bringing of sediment to the surface where it is effectively redeposited.
1973 Nature 30 Mar. 324/2 Even if deep sea meiobenthic communities are much sparser than their counterparts in shallower waters, their bioturbational effects..may well assume a far greater significance.
1995 T. R. Paton et al. Soils iii. 37 The bioturbational activity of earthworms is generally recorded in the form of rate of surface casting only.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, November 2010; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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n.1963