noun
- A condition in which an organism or ecosystem has limited access to essential nutrients, particularly nitrogen or phosphorus.
Usage: technical; ecology; biology
Examples
- The oligotrophy of the mountain lake limits the growth of algae and aquatic plants.
- Oligotrophy in soil can restrict crop productivity without proper fertilization.
- Certain plants have adapted to survive in conditions of oligotrophy.
- The researcher studied how oligotrophy affects microbial communities in the forest ecosystem.
- Oligotrophy is a defining characteristic of nutrient-poor wetlands.