A watershed is the area of land where all of the water drains off and eventually combines at a central point. As water runs off it picks up different types of surface pollution leftover from agricultural, industrial, commercial, and other types of human activity. Why does the pollution in a watershed have such a heavy impact on its inhabitants?

Question

A watershed is the area of land where all of the water drains off and eventually combines at a central point. As water runs off it picks up different types of surface pollution leftover from agricultural, industrial, commercial, and other types of human activity. Why does the pollution in a watershed have such a heavy impact on its inhabitants?

Question 1 options:

the species that inhabit the watershed must have the pollution in order to survive

the water combines and the pollutants become more concentrated

pollution does not affect the inhabitants of a watershed

the water combines and the pollutants become less concentrated

Answer 1

the water combines and the pollutants become more concentrated

Explanation: When water from different sources combines in a watershed, the pollutants it carries also combine and become more concentrated. This can have a heavy impact on the inhabitants of the watershed, including wildlife, plants, and humans, as higher concentrations of pollutants can lead to water quality degradation, ecosystem disturbances, and health risks.