Unit 8 vocab

2. – An area that is particularly vulnerable to environmental disturbance due to rare species, fragile ecosystems, or cultural significance.
3. having no living members; no longer in existence.
9. – Non-native organisms that spread rapidly and cause harm to the environment, economy, or human health.
10. the total amount of greenhouse gases (including carbon dioxide and methane) that are generated by our actions
12. – Unwanted or unusable materials left over from human activities, including garbage, sewage, and industrial residues.
15. A usual and commonly accepted way of doing things
16. – The agricultural practice of growing only one type of crop in a large area, often leading to decreased biodiversity.
19. substances released into the air, often from human activities like burning fossil fuels, that can contribute to air pollution and climate change
20. – Liquid that drains from a landfill and can carry pollutants into surrounding soil and water.
21. a social science that studies how societies, individuals, and businesses make choices to allocate scarce resources to satisfy their unlimited wants and needs

1. the breakdown of organic matter by microorganisms, such as bacteria and fungi
4. – A species likely to become endangered in the near future if protective measures are not taken.
5. – A polluted location in the U.S. requiring long-term cleanup of hazardous material contamination, designated by the EPA.
6. any species at high risk of extinction, facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild
7. anything from which useful energy can be extracted or recovered, either directly or after a conversion or transformation process
8. – The breakdown of materials by the action of sunlight, especially ultraviolet radiation.
11. the fundamental physical structures and systems that support a country's or region's economy
13. – Energy from sources that naturally replenish, like sunlight, wind, rain, and geothermal heat.
14. – A waste disposal site where garbage is isolated from the environment until it is safe, using layers of soil and liners.
17. the action or state of making or being made impure by polluting or poisoning.
18. Natural fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas formed from the remains of ancient organisms.