abiotrophy
n.n. the process of a living thing dying because it is not getting the right amount of food or water. It is a technical word used in biology to describe this specific type of death.
n. the process of death resulting from the lack of essential nutrients or water. Often used in biological contexts to distinguish this cause of mortality from other factors like disease or predation.
The plant suffered from abiotrophy due to the dry summer.
Researchers observed abiotrophy in the desert plants after the local water table dropped significantly over several months.
In arid ecosystems, abiotrophy is a primary cause of seasonal population decline, as organisms cannot sustain their metabolic functions without a consistent supply of moisture.
From abio- (“without life”) + -trophy (“development”).