Human Impact Vocabulary - marine science

Eutrophication

When too many nutrients (like fertilizer runoff) enter the water, causing too much algae to grow.

Hypoxia

Low oxygen in the water, making it hard for marine life to survive.

Dead zone

An area in the ocean with so little oxygen that most sea life can’t live there.

Toxic algae

Algae that produce harmful substances that can poison marine animals and humans.

Harmful algal bloom

A big, fast growth of algae that can harm marine life and water quality.

Keystone species

A species that plays a big role in keeping its ecosystem balanced.

Invasive species

A non-native species that spreads quickly and harms the local environment.

Microplastics

Tiny plastic particles that come from larger plastics breaking down. Animals often eat them by mistake.

Biodegradable

Can naturally break down into harmless materials over time.

Persistent

Stays in the environment for a long time without breaking down.

Pollutants

Harmful substances that get into the environment and damage ecosystems.

Stormwater runoff

Rainwater that runs off roads and lawns, carrying pollution into waterways.

Domestic sewage

Wastewater from homes (like from toilets and sinks).

Sludge

Thick, leftover waste from sewage treatment.

Dispersants

Chemicals used to break up oil spills in the ocean.

Biological magnification

When pollutants build up in animals as they move up the food chain.

Trawls

Large nets pulled across the seafloor to catch fish, often damaging habitats.

Longlines

Fishing lines with many hooks used to catch big fish.

Gill nets

Nets that trap fish by their gills.

Purse seines

Large nets used to catch groups of fish by surrounding them.

Bycatch

Animals caught by accident while fishing for something else.

Ghost fishing

When lost or abandoned fishing gear keeps catching animals.

Stock

The population of a species that is fished.

Sustainable yield

The amount of fish that can be caught without harming the population.

Maximum sustainable yield

The biggest amount of fish that can be taken while keeping the population healthy.

Fishing Effort

How much fishing is happening (like the number of boats or hours spent fishing).

Catch-effect curve

A graph that shows how fish catch rates change as effort increases.

Waste reduction

Cutting down how much waste we create.

Overfishing

Catching too many fish, causing their numbers to drop.

Marine protected areas

Parts of the ocean where fishing or other activities are limited to protect sea life.