Oligotrophic

An Oligotrophic refers to any environment which offers little to sustain life. This term is usually used to describe bodies of water with very low nutrient levels.

Greek etymology: Oligo : small, little, few and trophe : nutrients, food.

Oligotrophic environments are of special interest for the alternative energy sources and survival strategies life could rely upon.

Examples of oligotrophic environments

An especially fascinating example of such a lake is Lake Vostok, a liquid freshwater lake which has been isolated from the world beneath 4 km of Antarctic ice for approximately 500,000 years.