∞ generated and posted on 2016.11.11 ∞
Animals that draw water through aspects of their bodies to remove microscopic organisms and other particles as food.
Suspension feeders, that is, feed on materials that are found suspended in water. Suspension feeders reduce the prevalence of these particles from bodies of water.
Suspension feeding can be viewed as a form of filter feeding.
Bacteria found in biofilms are also removing material from water that flows over them, though in this case it is dissolved rather than suspended material so technically biofilms are not suspension feeding. Biofilms nonetheless are naturally forming components of certain types of water purification systems that can effect a form of biofiltration such as by trapping suspended viruses.