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Characteristic feeding methods

Photoautotroph An organism that obtains metabolic energy from light by a photochemical process such as photosynthesis (e.g. seaweeds, phytoplankton).
Suspension feeder
Any organism which feeds on particulate organic matter, including plankton, suspended in the water column (from Lincoln et al., 1998).		 Active Catching food on a filter from water by actively sweeping (e.g. Porcellana platychelyes) or pumping (e.g. sea squirts, many bivalve molluscs).
Passive Catching food on a filter held into flowing water (e.g. hydroids, sea fans, sea pens), or collecting the 'rain' of detritus on sticky apparatus other than a filter (e.g. Cucumaria frondosa).
Deposit feeder
Any organism which feeds on fragmented particulate organic matter from the substratum; detritivores (from Lincoln, et al., 1998)		 Surface Obtaining food from the surface of the substratum (e.g. Corophium volutator).
Sub-surface Obtaining food from within the substratum (e.g. Echinocardium cordatum).
Omnivore Animal which feeds on a mixed diet including plant and animal material (from Lincoln et al., 1998).
Herbivore An organism which feeds on plants, including phytoplankton.
Saprophage / scavenger Any organism that actively feeds on dead organic material (e.g. crabs, whelks).
Symbiont contribution Where some dietary component(s) are provided by symbiotic organisms (e.g. Anemonia with zooxanthellae).
Planktotroph Feeding at least in part on materials captured from the plankton (Barnes et al., 1993).
Chemoautotroph An organism that obtains metabolic energy from oxidation of inorganic substrates such as sulphur, nitrogen or iron (e.g. some microorganisms).
Predator An organism that feeds by preying on other organisms, killing them for food (from Lincoln, et al., 1998).
Interface feeder An organism that feeds at the interface between the water column and underlying substratum.
Grazer (grains / particles) Animals which rasp benthic algae (or sessile animals, such as bryozoan crusts) from inorganic particles e.g. sand grains.
Grazer (fronds / blades) Animals which rasp benthic algae (or sessile animals, such as bryozoan crusts) from the surface of macroalgal fronds and blades.
Grazer (surface / substratum) Animals which rasp benthic algae (or sessile animals, such as bryozoan crusts) from the substratum.
Detritivore An organism that feeds on fragmented particulate organic matter (detritus) (Lincoln et al., 1998).

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