Ooze Substrate (Substrate Class)

Component: Substrate

Unique Identifier: 305

Substrate Origin	Biogenic Substrate
Substrate Class	Ooze Substrate
Substrate Subclass	Carbonate Ooze Siliceous Ooze

Description

Definition

Deep sea substrates that are composed of > 30% tests, shells, or frustules of small plankton, including diatoms, radiolarians, pteropods, foraminifera, and other marine plankters. Oozes are common in deeper waters far from shore, where terrestrial inputs to the bottom sediments are very low, and where surface productivity is reasonably high. Based on common practice in the field, definition of a substrate as "ooze" requires a 30% or greater (but not necessarily "dominant") ooze composition within the sediments. Once defined as an "ooze", type of ooze is determined by dominant percent composition.