periphyton

noun

1. (countable, uncountable)A mixture of algae, cyanobacteria, heterotrophic microbes, and detritus that is attached to submerged surfaces in most aquatic ecosystems.

   “Indeed, the tight coupling of As(V) reduction/As(III) oxidation has been seen in periphyton samples and salt-saturated anoxic sediments from Searles Lake.”