Glaciers can pick up and drop boulders
Glaciers dig furrows in the ground where they have passed
Glaciers are able to move mountains out of their way
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Glaciers can carve out valleys and fjords through erosion, transport and deposit sediments as they advance and retreat, and create moraines and drumlins by depositing debris at their margins.
Glacier movement causes the greatest changes in the shape of land because glaciers have the power to erode bedrock and carry large amounts of sediment, altering landscapes drastically over time. The sheer force and weight of glaciers can carve out valleys, create moraines, and reshape the terrain in significant ways.
People change the shape of the Earth through activities such as mining, agriculture, deforestation, urban development, and construction of infrastructure like roads and buildings. These human activities can alter landscapes, change the natural environment, and even contribute to processes like erosion and land subsidence.
Climate change has led to rising global temperatures. Deforestation has altered many ecosystems. Ocean acidification has impacted marine life. Extinction of species due to human activities. Urbanization has transformed landscapes. Pollution has degraded air, water, and soil quality. Changes in land use due to agriculture and development. Glacier retreat due to global warming. Increase in extreme weather events. Expansion of deserts due to land degradation.
Natural forces such as erosion, volcanic activity, and earthquakes have continued to shape and change the land over the past 50 years. Climate change has also been a significant factor, leading to shifts in ecosystems, melting glaciers, and rising sea levels which impact coastal areas. Hurricanes, tsunamis, and other extreme weather events have caused widespread damage and altered landscapes in many regions.
Glaciers erode the land through plucking, where they pick up and remove rock fragments as they move, and abrasion, where they scrape and grind the underlying bedrock as they advance. These processes help to shape landforms such as valleys, cirques, and moraines.