I would call that the "boundary layer" - the first few mm or cm (depending
on scale and bottom roughness) of water slowly dragging across the bottom.
Benthic fishes built for station-holding (like darters) and small sturgeon
exploit it as a low-energy way of maintaining position.
- Jan
-----Original Message-----
From: Denkhaus, Robert
Sent: Tuesday, October 16, 2001 4:11 PM
To: 'nanfa_at_aquaria.net'
Subject: RE: NANFA-- Current Literature and a question
Thanks Jan! So the next obvious question is...is there an area known as
"hyperheic" and would that be the zone directly above the bottom surface?
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Hoover, Jan J ERDC-EL-MS
> Sent: Tuesday, October 16, 2001 4:06 PM
> To: 'nanfa_at_aquaria.net'
> Subject: RE: NANFA-- Current Literature and a question
>
>
> "Now for the question...
> "hyporheic habitat". I am not familiar with the terminology. Can
> someone please clarify?"
>
>
> Hyporheic refers to wetted area beneath the surface of the bottom
> (substrate) of the stream (which I know sounds oxymoronic).
> Its the tiny
> interstitial spaces of the sand and gravel inhabited by
> rotifers, copepods,
> gastrotrichs, and water mites. Benthic biologists
> collectively refer to
> these really microscopic organisms as "meiofauna" and can
> sample them in
> some habitats with soda straws.
>
> The language of "bottom-pickers" is esoteric and it changes
> over time. Not
> too many years ago, the plant-and-animal felt that covered
> submersed solid
> objects was called "aufwuchs." Now the terms periphyton and
> epifauna (and
> specific variants) are more popular.
>
>
>
/-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
/"Unless stated otherwise, comments made on this list do not necessarily
/ reflect the beliefs or goals of the North American Native Fishes
/ Association"
/ This is the discussion list of the North American Native Fishes Association
/ nanfa_at_aquaria.net. To subscribe, unsubscribe, or get help, send the word
/ subscribe, unsubscribe, or help in the body (not subject) of an email to
/ nanfa-request_at_aquaria.net. For a digest version, send the command to
/ nanfa-digest-request_at_aquaria.net instead.
/ For more information about NANFA, visit our web page, http://www.nanfa.org