What is the meaning of the underlined word in the sentence below?

One of the results of the 2010 golf of mexico oil spill is the threat to various species in the goths ecosystem it disturbed and in some cases forever altered the of the gulf coast

Me with this psychology homework, i’m struggling with it.

Lots of points: economics: a rise in price sends a signal to producers to supply. a. reduce b. increase c. maintain d. stop