olig-, oligo-

Regarding the bearing of only a few young: In ornithology, oligotokous birds are those that lay only a few eggs and up to four in all.

A reference to an aquatic plant characteristic of water bodies having low nutrient concentrations.

A group of ciliate protozoa, included among the "spirotrichs": The oligotrichs have prominent oral cilia, which are arranged as a collar and lapel, in contrast to the choreotrichs where they form a complete circle. The body cilia are reduced to a girdle and ventral cilia.

Deficiency in the growth of hair, especially when congenital: Sharon was concerned about the presence of less than the normal amount of her hair, or the thinness or sparseness of her hair, and her dermatologist said that she had a condition of oligotrichia.

1. The condition of a lake, or other body of water, which is deficient in nutrients and, therefore, generally biologically unproductive.
2. A state of nutrient scarcity or insufficiency.

1. A reference to a body of water deficient in nutrients for supporting plant life, but rich in oxygen for supporting animal life.
2. Having low primary productivity; a reference to substrates of bodies of water low in nutrients: "Oligotrophic lakes are susceptible to pollution from excess phosphorus from such sources as fertilizer runoff, sewage, and detergents."
3. Referring to any organism requiring only a small nutrient supply, or restricted to a narrow range of nutrients.
4. Pertaining to insects that visit only a small variety of plant species.

A plant which will grow in poor soil.

A reference to insects visiting only a few allied species of plants during their lifetimes.

The feature of an organism that utilizes a few host species during their life cycle: In his book, Doug read about oligoxenyexplaining how parasites adapted to life in only a few species of hosts.

A habitat having reduced levels of molecular oxygen.

Scanty urine excretion.

It may occur in acute renal failure, dehydration, shock, congestive heart failure, and urinary tract obstruction in the urethra, in bilateral ureteral obstruction, or in unilateral renal obstruction if only one kidney is functional.