Bacterial Mat
Areas dominated by colonies of bacterial decomposers and other decay organisms. These colonies can range in appearance from delicate and filamentous to a dense mass that may blanket the sediment surface.
Biotic Component Taxonomy: Biota Absent
An area where there is no evidence of living biota within the observational unit, either attached or closely associated with the seafloor, or where living biota account for a total of < 5 % of the substratum surface/composition/biomass of the observational unit.
