saprobic

Etymology
From.

Adjective

 * 1)  Of, pertaining to, or of the nature of a saprobe or saprobes; that feeds on dead or decaying organic matter.
 * 2)  That contains dead or decaying organic material (and therefore also saprobes).
 * 3) * 1969, Wilhelm Rohde, Crystallization of Eutrophication Concepts in Northern Europe, National Academy of Sciences (U.S.), Eutrophication: Causes, Consequences, Correctives, Symposium Proceedings, page 60,
 * Each of the polysaprobic, mesosaprobic, and oligosaprobic zones is now divided into one α- and one β-level, of which the former is more saprobic than the latter.
 * 1)  That contains dead or decaying organic material (and therefore also saprobes).
 * 2) * 1969, Wilhelm Rohde, Crystallization of Eutrophication Concepts in Northern Europe, National Academy of Sciences (U.S.), Eutrophication: Causes, Consequences, Correctives, Symposium Proceedings, page 60,
 * Each of the polysaprobic, mesosaprobic, and oligosaprobic zones is now divided into one α- and one β-level, of which the former is more saprobic than the latter.

Usage notes
In the ecological sense, a zone is more saprobic than another if it scores higher on a scale that depends on the number of saprobe species found, as well as the abundance of each species.

Derived terms

 * oligosaprobic
 * saprobism
 * saprobism
 * saprobism
 * saprobism
 * saprobism