Benthic: found on or in the sea floor

Convergence zone: area where surface waters flowing from different directions meet and are carried below the surface

Channel dredge: a large metal grab that removes several cubic yards of sediment at a time from the seafloor in order to create and maintain channels in harbors

Demersal: lifestyle in which all or most activities occur on or near the seafloor

Epifaunal: Living attached to a substrate on the bottom of the seafloor

Estuary: area of water where rivers and ocean meet

Homogeneous: of the same or similar nature

Hydroid: marine organism which lives in colonies and consists of polyps lined with tentacles; life cycle composed of two generations, one spent swimming freely throughout the water column and the other attached to substrate on the ocean floor

Infaunal: Living within the soft sediment of the seafloor

Overwinter: to seek permanent shelter during the winter months when physiological processes are too slow for normal activities

Parasite: organism which obtains nutrients and shelter from another organism

Pectoral fins: fins located next to the gills towards the tail of the fish

Pelagic: referring to the surface and middle layers of the ocean in the water column

Phytoplankton: photosynthesizing organisms (typically microflora) that live suspended in the water column

Primary producers: organisms capable of photosynthesis (creating nutrients using sunlight, water and carbon dioxide); initial link in the food web, providing energy either directly or indirectly to all other organisms

Sedentary: Not migratory; permanently attached

Slope water: water coincident with the continental slope

Swimmerets: flat legs shaped like paddles which allow crabs to swim

Warm-core ring: an eddy of warm water spun off from the Gulf stream that is surrounded by colder water

Water column: the water of the ocean, conceptualized from water surface to sea floor rather than coast to coast

Watershed: section of land which drains to a particular body of water

Wisconsin Glaciation: glaciation that occurred 26,000-21,500 years ago

Zooplankton: suspended marine animals (typically microfauna) that are passively transported through the water column

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