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| The idea that continents are slowly drifting apart as the tectonic plates that they sit on move. This idea comes from Alfred Wegener, who proposed that Earth once had one giant supercontinent. This supercontinent broke apart into plates that have slowly drifted to their current locations. |
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| Animals or plants that are in danger of dying out in the immediate future. |
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| Animals or plants that are brought into an area ffrom somewhere else. |
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| Animals or plants that occur naturally inan area. |
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| Animals or plants that are likely to become endangered if not protected. |
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| A ring of coral islands and reefs surrounding a shallow body of ocean water. |
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| An island that was once part of a continent. |
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| A body of shallow water partly cut off from the ocean by low-lying rock, sand, or coral reefs. |
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| An island formed when an underwater volcano builds up enough lava and ash to rise above sea level. |
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| A very large ecosystem such as a desert,forest, wetland, or grassland. Each biome is home to its own community of plants and animals. |
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| The gradual increase in the temperature of Eart's surface over time. This warming may be the result of natural causes. It may also be caused by human activity. |
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| The process by which gases in the atmosphere trap heat from the sun and keep it close to Earht's surface. This trapped air may contribute to global warming. |
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| A large, floatng sheet of ice that is attached to the coast. Ice shelves can extend out to sea for hundreds of miles. |
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