What is the name for animals that live at the bottom of a body of water?

Animals that live at the bottom of a body of water are referred to as benthos. This term encompasses a wide variety of organisms, including both plants and animals, that reside on or near the seabed. Benthos play a crucial role in the aquatic ecosystem as they contribute to the recycling of nutrients, serve as a food source for various marine life, and are key indicators of ecological health.

In contrast, nekton refers to actively swimming organisms, such as fish and squid, that move independently of water currents. Plankton includes a range of small organisms that drift with the water currents, which can be further divided into phytoplankton (the plant-like microalgae that perform photosynthesis) and zooplankton (tiny animals that feed on phytoplankton or other small organisms). Neither nekton nor plankton live at the bottom of the water body, which further solidifies why benthos is the correct classification for bottom-dwelling organisms.