abioseston

noun

abio·​ses·​ton ¦ā-ˌbī-ō-¦se-ˌstän 

ecology

: the nonliving constituents of seston : tripton

Since many organisms discriminate between particles only on the basis of size, they may also ingest considerable quantities of suspended inorganic particles, or abioseston.

—J. H. R. Gee, in Fundamentals of Aquatic Ecology, 1991

compare bioseston

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from German Abioseston, from a- a- entry 2 + bio- bio- + Seston seston

First Known Use

1963, in the meaning defined above

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