Georgraphy Flashcards
(31 cards)
Atmosphere
All of the gases that surround the earth
Biodiversity
The variety of living organisms found in an environment
Climate change
A change in global or regional climate patterns which has mainly occurred from the mid to late 20th century and onwards and has largely been caused by increased levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide produced by the use of fossil fuels
Coastal degradation
The deterioration of the coastline due to natural (erosion) or human influenced (pollution) effects
Deforestation
The removal of trees and other plant life from forested areas, either by cutting down or burning, usually carried out to clear the land.
Desertification
The transformation of fertile land into relatively dry desert
Ecosystem
A complex community made up of living organisms that interact with each other and with their environments
Erosion
The wearing away of the earth’s surface by wind, water or ice
Fossil fuel
A fuel made from decomposed (fossilised) remains of plants and animals that lived millions of years ago (e.g. coal, gas, oil)
Gender inequality
Unequal treatment of individuals within a society based on their gender
Global warming
A gradual increase in the overall temperature of the earth’s atmosphere generally caused by greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, CFCs and other pollutants
Greenhouse gas
A gas such as carbon dioxide that absorbs the heatwaves from the sun’s rays trapping heat on the earth’s surface
Human development index (HDI)
A tool developed by the United Nations to grade and rank the social and economic development of the world’s countries in order from most to least developed. It is used as a measure of human well being
Life expectancy
A statistical measure of the average number of years a person in an area of population can expect to live
Ozone layer
A layer of ozone high in the atmosphere that protects the earth from harmful amounts of sun rays
Pollution
Any substance that is released into the environment that causes damage
Qualitative data
Any information that can be recorded in words
Quantitative data
Any information that can be recorded as numbers
Salinity
A measure of the amount of salt present in the soil
Sinks
One of the four categories of ecosystem services; processes that take place in the natural environment which absorb waste
Sustainability
The ongoing capacity of earth to maintain all life
Sustainable development goals
A set of 17 goals developed by the United Nations in 2015 that are designed to end poverty, protect earth from unsustainable development and improve the well-being of all people
Wellbeing
The ability of human beings to access the things they need in order to live happy and healthy lives (eg. Food, water, education, safety and security)
Soil erosion
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