Land Cover Change

Question 1

Environment:

Answer 1

The term ‘environment’, where unqualified, means the living and non‐living elements of the Earth’s surface and atmosphere. It includes human changes to the Earth’s surface, for example, croplands, planted forests, buildings and roads.

Question 2

Biome:

Anthropogenic biome:

Answer 2

A community of life forms adapted to a large natural area.

Biomes that are the result of sustained direct human interactions with ecosystems.

Question 3

Land cover change:

Answer 3

Refers to the changes that have taken place in natural environments due to a variety of natural and/or human‐induced causes.

Question 4

Ecosystems:

Answer 4

A community of plants and animals in a non‐living environment.

Question 5

Biodiversity loss:

Answer 5

A loss in the type, number and variety of living organisms within a given environment.

Question 6

Climate change:

Answer 6

a change in global or regional climate patterns, in particular a change apparent from the mid to late 20th century onwards and attributed largely to the increased levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide produced by the use of fossil fuels.

Question 7

Sustainability:

Answer 7

Meeting the needs of current and future generations through simultaneous environmental, social and economic adaptation and improvement.