Define the term marine snow. What is it composed of? How is it affected by bacteria and other marine ...

Marine snow refers to aggregates of particulate organic matter that sink slowly in the water column. It is composed of the debris of many planktonic organisms; the mucus secretions of fishes, salps, larvaceans and others; fragmented fecal pellets; and other assorted organic materials. The ecological importance of marine snow is that it forms a habitat for bacteria, phytoplankton, and the animals that eat these two. It is also directly consumed by planktivores and pelagic fishes. Colonizing bacteria tend to enrich these sinking aggregates as a food source for other heterotrophs. Phytoplankton take advantage of the nutrients that are released by the decomposing activity of bacteria. Marine snow is also important because it tends to scavenge small, slow sinking particles from the water column, thereby adding to the mass of the sinking marine snow. Ultimately, marine snow is either consumed by animals in the water column or on the seafloor or it contributes to the deposition of biogenous sediments on the seafloor.

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