<descriptor thcode="2"><thesaurus thcode="2" name="USGS Thesaurus" scope="Topics and methods of scientific study carried out by USGS, with product types, scientific disciplines, geologic time, and types of institutional structure and activities.  Broad and shallow, used to help people find scientific information." creator="U.S. Geological Survey" rights="Public domain" edition="2.0" date="2020-01-09" codetype="number" prefix="topic" uri="https://www2.usgs.gov/science/USGSThesaurus" tblname="term" nonpref="nonpref" relterm="relterm" root_code="1" contact="pschweitzer"><category><term thcode="25" code="29" name="distinct labels" parent="26" scope="Preferred labels (descriptor texts) are distinct within the thesaurus. A concept can be specified either by its unique identifier (code) or by the text of its descriptor."/><term thcode="25" code="16" name="hierarchical" parent="11" scope="Substantive broader-narrower relationships exist among the terms."/><term thcode="25" code="13" name="transitive" parent="12" scope="Narrower terms have an &quot;is a&quot; relationship with their broader terms, and generally can be described as part-of, type-of, or instance-of the broader term."/><term thcode="25" code="21" name="disciplines" parent="2" scope="Broad categories of human inquiry or activity, such as scientific disciplines."/><term thcode="25" code="20" name="methods" parent="2" scope="Actions taken to obtain or analyze information"/><term thcode="25" code="19" name="organizational functions" parent="2" scope="Things that organizations do, typically including various types of programs, projects, and services."/><term thcode="25" code="7" name="temporal" parent="2" scope="Terms indicate periods of time, such as chronostratigraphic units, named historical periods or intervals surrounding known historical events, or seasons."/><term thcode="25" code="5" name="theme" parent="2" scope="Terms indicate domains of human concern, such as scientific discipline, societal problems, or characteristics of earth, space, oceans, and living things."/><term thcode="25" code="29" name="distinct labels" parent="26" scope="Preferred labels (descriptor texts) are distinct within the thesaurus. A concept can be specified either by its unique identifier (code) or by the text of its descriptor."/><term thcode="25" code="16" name="hierarchical" parent="11" scope="Substantive broader-narrower relationships exist among the terms."/><term thcode="25" code="13" name="transitive" parent="12" scope="Narrower terms have an &quot;is a&quot; relationship with their broader terms, and generally can be described as part-of, type-of, or instance-of the broader term."/><term thcode="25" code="21" name="disciplines" parent="2" scope="Broad categories of human inquiry or activity, such as scientific disciplines."/><term thcode="25" code="20" name="methods" parent="2" scope="Actions taken to obtain or analyze information"/><term thcode="25" code="19" name="organizational functions" parent="2" scope="Things that organizations do, typically including various types of programs, projects, and services."/><term thcode="25" code="7" name="temporal" parent="2" scope="Terms indicate periods of time, such as chronostratigraphic units, named historical periods or intervals surrounding known historical events, or seasons."/><term thcode="25" code="5" name="theme" parent="2" scope="Terms indicate domains of human concern, such as scientific discipline, societal problems, or characteristics of earth, space, oceans, and living things."/></category><altlabel><altlabel>USGSThesaurus</altlabel><altlabel>USGSThesaurus</altlabel></altlabel></thesaurus><term thcode="2" code="777" name="natural resources" parent="1174" scope="Stocks of anything naturally occurring that have a beneficial use for man including economic, nutritional, recreational, aesthetic, and other benefits."/><bt><term thcode="2" code="1174" name="topics" parent="1" scope="Themes, subjects, and concerns for which USGS information resources are relevant."/><term thcode="2" code="1" name="Categories" scope="Thematic terms for categorizing information resources.  This thesaurus is intended to support finding and understanding scientific information."/></bt><nt><term thcode="2" code="799" name="energy resources" parent="777" scope="Natural resources that are used for heat and power generation, including oil, natural gas, coal, and geothermal energy."/><term thcode="2" code="391" name="fishery resources" parent="777" scope="The stock of anadromous, marine, and freshwater fish in fishing areas of commercial, subsistence, and recreational value."/><term thcode="2" code="411" name="forest resources" parent="777" scope="Trees and associated vegetation available for human use.  Use for timber and other forest resources with economic value."/><term thcode="2" code="745" name="mineral resources" parent="777" scope="Natural occurrences of useful inorganic elements or compounds."/><term thcode="2" code="1080" name="soil resources" parent="777" scope="Natural resources of unconsolidated fragmented rock, humus, and mineral matter that cover the surface of the earth."/><term thcode="2" code="1308" name="water resources" parent="777" scope="Stocks of water, the liquid derived from precipitation. A constituent of living matter and necessity for all life, it covers a large proportion of the earth's surface."/></nt><rt><term thcode="2" code="291" name="earth sciences" parent="1019" scope="Broad term for all science related to the study of the earth."/><term thcode="2" code="650" name="life sciences" parent="1019" scope="Branches of science that study living and fossil organisms."/><term thcode="2" code="776" name="natural resource management" parent="689" scope="Using a combination of techniques to control or direct the use of resources and limit population size to reach a predetermined goal, such as sustainability."/><term thcode="2" code="2280" name="protected areas" parent="12" scope="Terrestrial and marine areas that are designated and managed for the preservation of biological diversity or other natural, recreational, or cultural uses."/></rt></descriptor>