Community composition, distribution, and contribution of microbenthos in offshore sediments from the Yellow Sea

► The first detailed data on marine microbenthos in the offshore sediments. ► The striking contribution of microbenthos in the pelagic-benthic ecosystem. ► Indicating the great contribution of pico-phytobenthos to primary production. ► The more numerical and functional importance of protozoa than that of meiobenthos.