absterben

Absterben is a German verb meaning to die off or perish. It describes the gradual dying of cells, tissues, or organisms, as well as the decline or disappearance of a population. The noun das Absterben denotes the process itself or the act of dying off.

In biology and medicine, Absterben refers to cell or tissue death. This includes programmed cell death (Apoptose) and pathological cell death (Nekrose). Ischämie, injury, or disease can cause Absterben von Gewebe. The term can also be used for death processes in plants or other organisms, where cells or tissues cease functioning.

In ecology and population biology, Absterben describes the dying-off of individuals or populations, often due to environmental change, disease, predation, or resource scarcity. Aussterben is the term typically used for the permanent extinction of a species, while Absterben can indicate a temporary, regional, or partial decline that may not reach complete extinction.

Usage notes: Absterben is commonly found in sentences such as “Die Blätter sind durch Frost abgestorben” or “Das Gebiet erlebt ein Absterben der Korallenriffe.” The related adjective abgestorben means dead or withered, and the noun form das Absterben emphasizes the process rather than an instantaneous event.

See also: Aussterben, Nekrose, Apoptose, Gewebeverfall.