harmful material that can enter the biosphere through the land, air, or water

total amount of functioning ecosystem needed to provide both the resources a human population uses, and to absorb the wastes that population generates

destruction of forests

the ability to recover after a disturbance; the ability to deal with change and move on

gray-brown haze formed by a mixture of chemicals

strategy for using natural resources without depleting them and for providing human needs without causing long-term environmental harm

increase in the average temperatures on Earth

resource that cannot be replenished by a natural process within a reasonable amount of time

ecological region created by long-term interactions between humans and ecosystems

non-native species whose introduction causes, or is likely to cause, economic harm, environmental harm, or harm to human health.

measurable long-term changes in averages of temperature, clouds, winds, precipitation, and the frequency of extreme weather events such as floods, major storms, and heat waves

resource that can be produced or replaced by healthy ecosystem functions

the increasing concentration of a harmful substance in organisms at higher trophic levels in a food chain or food web

atmospheric layer in which ozone gas is relatively concentrated; protects life on Earth from harmful ultraviolet rays in sunlight

farming strategy of planting a single, highly productive crop year after year