ill periods of hypoxia dominated by small worms and rpd layter close to the sedimentwater interface certain groups of species primarily mollusks and plants can reduce organic and nutrient loading to the water column table but physical drivers play a large role in determining the degree of impact to the water column suspensionfeeders serve to couple pelagic and benthic processes because they filter suspended particles from the water column and the undigested remains ejected as mucusbound feces and pseudofeces sink to the sediment surface