physiotope (phys'-i-o-tope''). A term defined by Moore (1949, p.17) as "designation of all purely physiochemical elements of an environment", but intended by him to represent the sedimentary environment of a physiofacies. Weller (1958, p.616) notes that if the term is to be accepted as having a meaning similar to "biotope" or "lithotope", it should be defined as an "area".