[Fouling: terminology and definitions]

Current classification of principal ecological groups of hydrobionts is an eclectic one as it confuses two fundamentals, one dealing with organismic ecomorphology and another with water body's topology. This leads to difficulties in determination of interrelations between benthos and fouling communities. The littoral fouling communities cannot be considered as an independent ecological group of the same rank as plankton or benthos because it lacks a unique species composition. The fouling is always a derivate of the benthos, so it could be defined as a community formed by benthic organisms during succession on a solid substrate more or less remote from the water body's bottom. All peculiarities of the fouling communities distinguishing them from similar benthic communities are determined by topology and other properties of the substrate, by relatively short period of the latter's exposition and by hydrological conditions under which the fouling is developing. There is continual transitions between benthic and fouling communities both in space (along gradients of abiotic environmental factors) and in time (along successional series). Such a continuum becomes most frequently broken due to both significant remoteness of the substrate, on which a fouling develops, from the bottom and permanent extreme factors disturbing or retarding fouling communities development. Thus, littoral foulings are just benthos being formed under specific conditions. At the same time, oceanic foulings are connected both evolutionary and ecologically with littoral foulings and benthos.