Saprobe

saprobe [′sa‚prōb]

(ecology)

An organism that lives on decaying organic matter.

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Saprobe 

(also saprobiont), a plant or animal that inhabits waters that are to some degree contaminated with organic matter. Polysaprobes inhabit severely contaminated waters, meso-saprobes moderately contaminated waters, and oligosaprobes slightly contaminated waters. The composition and quantity of saprobes and the structure of their communities serve as criteria for evaluating the degree of contamination of bodies of water by enterprises that process natural organic raw material. The ability of saprobes to mineralize the the organic matter of contamination promotes the self-purification of water, especially sewage water. (SeeBIOLOGICAL SEWAGE TREATMENT.)

REFERENCES

Zernov, S. A. Obshchaia gidrobiologiia, 2nd ed. Moscow-Leningrad, 1949.
Telitchenko, M. M., and K. A. Kokin. Sanitarnaia gidrobiologiia. Moscow, 1968.
Liebmann, H. Handbuch der Frischwasser- und Abwasser-Biologie, 2nd ed., vol. 1. Munich, 1962. M. M. Telitchenko