Science Vocab Crossword

2. the large-scale, cross-border movement, dispersal, and mixing of plants, animals, microbes, and diseases around the planet, driven largely by human trade, travel, and migration
4. an autotrophic organism that creates its own complex organic food molecules (like glucose) from simple inorganic substances using light or chemical energy
7. a living organism that cannot manufacture its own food and must feed on other organisms or organic matter to get energy
10. a vertical cross-section of soil from the surface down to the bedrock that shows all of its distinct horizontal layers
11. an oceanographic and biological process where deep, cold, and nutrient-rich water rises toward the ocean surface to replace warmer, nutrient-depleted surface water
12. the continuous, natural process by which Earth's rocks change over millions of years among three main types: igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic
13. the scientific study of the relationships between living organisms—including humans—and their physical environment
14. the capacity to do work or cause change

1. the process by which a liquid turns into a gas or vapor at temperatures below its boiling point
3. the introduction of harmful substances into the environment
5. the capacity of ecosystems and biological systems to endure disturbances, maintain critical functions, and preserve biodiversity over the long term
6. any liquid or solid water that forms in the atmosphere and falls to the Earth's surface,
7. an interacting group of various species populations coexisting in a particular geographic area and time
8. a printed or computer-aided biological tool that helps scientists and researchers identify unknown organisms by guiding them through a series of contrasting observable characteristics
9. the radiant light and heat emitted by the Sun that is captured and converted into usable forms of energy, such as electricity or thermal heat