oligotrophic

adjective

ol·​i·​go·​tro·​phic ˈä-li-gō-ˈtrō-fik 

ˈō-;

ə-ˈli-gə-

: having a deficiency of plant nutrients that is usually accompanied by an abundance of dissolved oxygen

clear oligotrophic lakes

Examples of oligotrophic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In lakes that are clear, such as the Great Lakes and natural oligotrophic lakes of the north, baits that emulate the natural color of the baitfish in the system should be tried first. —David A. Rose, Field & Stream, 20 Mar. 2024

Because few rivers flow into the Mediterranean, the sea is considered nutrient-starved and described as containing little phytoplanktonic life—oligotrophic in scientific parlance. —Paul Greenberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Dec. 2022

Luisa Falcón, a microbial ecologist at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, has studied oligotrophic microbes all over the world. —Allison Keeley, The New Yorker, 12 July 2021

Mashapaug Lake is oligotrophic — largely free of nutrients — so the water is very clear and paddlers can see down about 20 feet. —Frank Cohen, courant.com, 18 May 2017

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary

First Known Use

1911, in the meaning defined above