Question

why is there more erosion than normal in newtok? higher air temperatures cause arctic ice to melt, which puts more water in the river that is next to newtok.

Explanation:

The question is about the reason for more erosion in Newtok. The context mentions that higher air temperatures cause Arctic ice to melt, adding water to a river. For the river to affect Newtok's erosion, it needs to be adjacent (next to) Newtok. If it were far from Newtok, the increased water would not directly impact Newtok's erosion.

Answer:

next to