biomass
BY-oh-mass
/ˈbaɪoʊmæs/
The total mass or weight of living organisms in a given area or volume.
Measures organic tissue quantity, often dry weight, or plant/animal matter used as biological fuel.
The story behind the word. Coined in the 1930s by Russian oceanographer S. A. Zernov to express the weight of biological life per unit area of marine water.
Word relationships
- organic matter: Organic matter includes dead tissue, whereas biomass usually focuses on total living weight or biological fuel mass.
Commonly confused with
- biodiversity: Biomass measures physical bulk or weight of life; biodiversity measures the variety of species.
Collocations
- biomass production
- total biomass
- biomass fuel
- forest biomass
Example sentences
- "In deep ocean waters, photosynthetic phytoplankton produce vast amounts of biological biomass rapidly." Energy science
Memory hook
BIO (life) + MASS (weight/bulk) = total weight of living stuff. Total weight of living organisms.
When not to use
Do not confuse with 'biodiversity', which measures species variety rather than physical mass.
Fun facts
- Ants account for roughly the same total biomass on Earth as all living human beings combined.
Related words
Explore more words
feedstock, Renewable Energy, compost, biodegradable, raw materials, regenerative
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