Land cover is the physical state of the land surface.
It is the combination of vegetation, soil, rock, water and human-made structures, which make up the earth's landscape. The land cover is the interface between the earth's crust and the atmosphere, influencing the exchange of energy and matter in the climatic system and biogeochemical cycles. Land cover changes can affect a wide range of processes, such as the movement of nutrients through plants, soil, water and the atmosphere and the movement of soil and water. Land cover changes can have major consequences for living organisms, for example, clearing of vegetation can result in changes in animal habitat which in extreme cases can cause extinction. Other impacts of land cover change can include increased risk of salinity due to tree loss and changes in biodiversity.