7.11B Human Impact on Oceans Flashcards

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artificial reef

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A human-made structure that creates a habitat for ocean life.

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chemical fertilizer

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A human-made substance added to soil to help plants grow.

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commercial fishing

Back

The catching of fish and other seafood for profit.

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dead zone

Back

An area in a body of water where oxygen levels are so low that aquatic life cannot survive.

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microplastics

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Small plastic pieces less than five millimeters in length that result from the breakdown of larger plastic materials and are environmental pollutants.

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offshore oil drilling

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The process by which humans extract oil and natural gas through wells drilled into the sea floor.

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overfishing

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The process of removing aquatic life from a body of water faster than the populations can reproduce.

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phytoplankton

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Microscopic aquatic producers.

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runoff

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Water that does not absorb into the ground, but flows over Earth's surface toward larger bodies of water.