Other IGCP studies deal with such subjects as medical geology and the study of the effects of natural geological factors on animal (including human) health, plate tectonics in the Caribbean, anthropogenic impacts on weathering processes, the carbon cycleand hydrology in palaeo-terrestrial environments, and continental shelves during the last glacial cycle. Complementary activities in the earth sciences deal with natural hazards and risks, the geological application of remote sensing, and the preparationof geological maps of the world.