Natural Resources

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Across
  1. 3. Energy sources formed from ancient organic matter, including coal, petroleum, and natural gas
  2. 5. Natural resources that require millions of years to form and cannot be readily replaced
  3. 6. A naturally occurring mineral resource commonly used in fertilizers and livestock feed additives
  4. 11. Organisms that decompose dead organic material and recycle nutrients back into the ecosystem
  5. 12. The gradual exhaustion or reduction of a natural resource supply
  6. 15. Populations of different species inhabiting and interacting within the same geographic area
  7. 16. The outermost layer of Earth’s surface composed of soil, rock, and organic matter
  8. 17. Undomesticated animal species and native plant life existing in natural environments
  9. 22. The specific geographic region where an organism naturally resides and obtains necessary resources for survival
  10. 23. Capable of being maintained over the long term without depleting resources or causing ecological damage
  11. 24. Adequate ______ quality is essential for maintaining a stable and healthy habitat
Down
  1. 1. Organisms that derive energy by consuming autotrophs and/or other heterotrophs
  2. 2. Natural resources that are replenished through ecological cycles within a relatively short time span
  3. 4. Organisms capable of synthesizing organic compounds from inorganic substances through photosynthesis or chemosynthesis
  4. 7. The practice of protecting, managing, and sustaining natural resources and ecosystems
  5. 8. The movement of energy through interconnected food chains within an ecosystem
  6. 9. The nonliving physical and chemical components of an ecosystem; ______ factors
  7. 10. Organisms that obtain energy by consuming other living organisms
  8. 13. process by which dissolved substances are carried from land surfaces into aquatic systems
  9. 14. The sun and ______ serve as primary direct and indirect sources of energy for Earth’s systems
  10. 18. biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment within a defined area
  11. 19. The displacement of topsoil by water, wind, or other environmental forces
  12. 20. The functional role and ecological contribution of a species within its ecosystem
  13. 21. Organisms that consume carrion, feeding on the remains of dead animals