9 Geography: Climate and Biomes 1

2. the decline in soil quality caused by erosion, nutrient loss, salinity or pollution.
4. mountain ranges that affect climate by influencing temperature, wind and rainfall patterns. Mountains can cause orographic rainfall and rain shadows.
5. the plant life of a particular area.
8. the variety of life in a particular area or biome.
9. reliable access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food for all people.
12. when livestock eat vegetation faster than it can regrow, causing environmental damage.
13. the removal of topsoil by wind, water or human activities.
14. deforesting an area to make way for a different land use.
15. the process of growing the same crop in the same location year after year until the soil is depleted and less productive.
17. the loss of natural environments that plants and animals depend on for survival.
18. the distance north or south of the Equator. Places closer to the Equator generally have warmer climates.
19. the replanting of trees in areas that have been cleared.
20. a large ecosystem characterised by similar climate, vegetation and animal life.

1. large movements of ocean water that warm or cool nearby coastal areas, influencing temperature and rainfall.
3. the height of a place above sea level. As altitude increases, temperature decreases.
6. the decline in the quality and productivity of land due to human activities.
7. meeting current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
10. the artificial supply of water to dry land to help in the growing of crops.
11. the average weather conditions of a place over a long period of time (usually 30 years or more).
16. the cutting down of trees and other plant life in a forest.