bioturbation

American  

[bahy-oh-tur-bey-shuhn] / ˌbaɪ oʊ tɜrˈbeɪ ʃən /

noun

1. the alteration and disturbance of a site by living organisms; the turning and mixing of sediments by organisms, as rodents.

---

bioturbation Scientific  

/ bī′ō-tər-bā′shən /

1. The stirring or mixing of sediment or soil by organisms, especially by burrowing, boring, or ingestion.

---

Example Sentences

Part of the challenge has come from trying to understand how the interactions between these animals and their surroundings influence bioturbation patterns and marine ecosystems worldwide.

From Science Daily • Jun. 3, 2024

Scientists have long debated the role of "bioturbation" -- the excavation and stirring up of seafloor sediments caused by these species.

From Science Daily • Jun. 3, 2024

Instead, the velocity of surface ocean currents and the enrichment of seafloor sediments by organic matter play key roles in shaping deep-sea bioturbation.

From Science Daily • Jun. 3, 2024

Rocks from these environments often include bioturbation marks or coal deposits.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2017

We estimate that the achievable temporal resolution in core KZAI-01, inferred from the combined effects of sediment transfer time from continent to ocean, bioturbation, and sedimentation rates, is about 600 years.

From Science Magazine • Aug. 30, 2012