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| Movement from earthquakes and volcanoes. |
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| Growing of food by farming. |
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| Violent, dangerous rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the Earth and clouds in the sky, also known as twisters. |
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| Process by which an area changes into a desert. |
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| Rising global temperatures have led to periodic warming of the surface of the Pacific Ocean. These can cause increased rain in the Pacific Ocean and along the coasts of North & South America. |
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| Graphic Information Systems (GIS) |
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| Spatial information systems that merge information from satellites and land-based sources, such as maps, statistics, and other sources. |
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| Act of adding harmful substances and wastes; such as smoke, toxic fumes, chemicals, and garbage to our natural environment. |
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| Burning of fossil fuels like coal and gasoline has increased the amounts of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. This prevents heat from escaping into space and leads to rising temperatures on Earth. |
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| Ozone absorbs much of the sun's ultraviolet radiation. Without the ozone layer surrounding the Earth, ultraviolet radiation may cause mutations in living cells leading to skin cancers. |
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| Poisonous chemicals used to eliminate or control insects that threaten crops. They sometimes get into the water and soil, endangering other animals such as birds. |
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| When coal and oil are burned, they release sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere. These pollutants return to Earth when it rains. Acid rain can destroy forests, kill fish, and endanger the environment. |
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| Resources, such as trees, that can renew themselves after a period of time. |
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| Resources, such as coal and oil, that can only be used one time. They do not have the ability to renew themselves. |
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| A great range, or diversity, of species. Tropical rainforests have the greatest biodiversity and the greatest concentration of plant life on Earth. |
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| Use of resources in a way that can meet future as well as present human needs. Sustainable development uses renewable resources at a slower rate, so that nature is able to replenish itself. |
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