What term describes the production of plants or animals in water?

The term that describes the production of plants or animals in water is aquaculture. This practice involves cultivating aquatic organisms such as fish, shellfish, and aquatic plants in controlled environments. Aquaculture is vital for food production, helping to meet the increasing global demand for seafood and providing a sustainable alternative to wild fishing, which can deplete natural fish stocks.

Hydroponics, while also a method of crop production, specifically refers to the cultivation of plants in nutrient-rich water without soil. Terra-culture is not a commonly used term in agricultural practices and does not specifically relate to aquatic production. Aquaponics combines aquaculture and hydroponics by integrating the cultivation of fish and plants together in a symbiotic environment, but it is a broader concept than just producing organisms in water. This distinction emphasizes the focus of aquaculture solely on the production of aquatic species.