1. The disturbance and mixing of sediment or soil by the activity of living organisms, such as burrowing animals, plant roots, or microorganisms.
Usage: Plural form of bioturbation; Commonly used in geology, paleontology, and soil science

Examples

• Bioturbations in the sediment layers revealed evidence of ancient burrowing organisms.
• The paleontologist studied bioturbations to understand the depositional history of the rock formation.
• Earthworm bioturbations improve soil structure and water infiltration in agricultural fields.
• Bioturbations can obscure fossil records by mixing fossils from different time periods.
• Marine bioturbations by benthic organisms affect nutrient cycling on the ocean floor.
• The geologist identified several bioturbations in the core sample that indicated past biological activity.