Lesson 1
This process removes salt from ocean water to make it drinkable.
What is desalination?
This term refers to fish or marine life caught unintentionally during fishing.
What is bycatch?
This practice involves the study of managing forests for sustainable use.
forestry
This term refers to hazardous chemicals that harm the environment.
hazardous waste
This term describes resources that nature can replenish quickly, such as fish and seaweed from the ocean.
Renewable resources
Name one renewable resource provided by the ocean.
What are fish, seaweed, or salt?
Overfishing leads to the decline of these.
fish population or threatened species
Old-growth forests are important for this.
biodiversity
Name one cause of desertification.
dry soil, overfarming, or dust storms
This type of waste, often resulting from industrial activities, poses a serious threat to ecosystems and human health.
Hazardous waste
This type of energy is generated by the movement of ocean waves.
What is wave energy?
runoff from farms often introduces these harmful substances into the ocean.
pesticides and fertilizers
What happens to soil when it is overused in farming without proper management?
nutrient depletion or soil degradation
Invasive alien species impact ecosystems by doing this.
competing with native species, spreading diseases, or depleting resources
Overuse of aquifers and improper water management lead to shortages of this vital resource.
Freshwater
Name one method scientists use to capture wave energy and convert it into electricity.
What are wave generators, turbines, or special buoys?
Name one action humans can take to preserve ocean resources.
reducing pollution, avoiding overfishing, or cleaning up litter.
Name one way humans alter freshwater resources.
building dams or pumping water from aquifers
Restoration ecologists work to do this for damaged ecosystems.
repair or rebuild them
This term refers to the study and application of practices to use natural resources wisely for future sustainability.
resource management
Explain the difference between renewable and nonrenewable resources, using ocean examples.
Renewable resources, like fish, can be replenished quickly, and nonrenewable, like oil, cannot be easily replaced.
Describe the impact of climate change on the ocean.
rising sea levels, changing chemical balances, and disrupted ecosystems.
Explain the importance of resource management in protecting land and water.
balancing human needs with conservation to ensure resources for future generations
Describe one consequence of climate change on ecosystems.
rising sea levels, habitat loss, or severe weather patterns
Scientists working in this field focus on restoring ecosystems by replacing harmful elements with beneficial ones.
restoration ecology