oligotrophic

[ ol-i-goh-trof-ik, -troh-fik ]

adjective

, Ecology.

1. (of a lake) characterized by a low accumulation of dissolved nutrient salts, supporting but a sparse growth of algae and other organisms, and having a high oxygen content owing to the low organic content.

oligotrophic

/ ˌɒlɪˈɡɒtrəfɪ; ˌɒlɪɡəʊˈtrɒfɪk /

adjective

1. (of lakes and similar habitats) poor in nutrients and plant life and rich in oxygen Compare eutrophic

oligotrophic

/ ŏl′ĭ-gō-trō′fĭk,-trŏf′ĭk,ō′lĭ- /

1. Lacking in plant nutrients such as phosphates, nitrates, and organic matter, and consequently having few plants and a large amount of dissolved oxygen throughout. Used of a lake, pond, or stream.
2. Compare dystrophic

Derived Forms

• oligotrophy, noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of oligotrophic¹

First recorded in 1925–30; oligo- + trophic

Word History and Origins

Origin of oligotrophic¹

C20: from oligo- + Greek trophein to nourish + -ic

Example Sentences

Elisa Angulo, a researcher at the University of Cordoba, is already trying to answer this last question, and has just concluded a voyage on the high seas in which she has been researching the behavior of these living beings in oligotrophic areas of the Pacific poor in nutrients.

From Science Daily

For example, the first poem in “Pigeon” begins, “Oligotrophic: of lakes and rivers. The heat / an inanimate slur, wool gathering, hanging / like a bad suit.”

From New York Times

ACN can be predicted from 16S rRNA amplicon data27; this method has been used, for example, to link the taxonomic groups associated with copiotrophic and oligotrophic behaviours in soils to high and low rRNA gene copy numbers, respectively28.

From Nature

Relative influence of nitrogen and phosphorus availability on phytoplankton physiology and productivity in the oligotrophic sub-tropical North Atlantic Ocean.

From Nature

The extensive boundaries of the oligotrophic sub-tropical gyres collectively define the most extreme transition in ocean productivity, but little is known about nutrient limitation in these zones1,2,3,4.

From Nature