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The destruction of the Amazon river has many ________ effects on the environment.

a) positive
b) neutral
c) adverse
d) unknown

2 Answers

3 votes

Final answer:

The destruction of the Amazon river has many adverse effects on the environment, contributing to biodiversity loss, climate change, and various negative ecological impacts. Deforestation, infrastructure construction, and other human activities have detrimental effects on ecosystems and necessitate caution when their full impacts are not well understood.

"The correct option is approximately option C"

Step-by-step explanation:

The destruction of the Amazon river has many adverse effects on the environment, thus the correct answer is c) adverse. When considering the impact of environmental destruction, it’s important to understand the consequences of such actions. The Amazon, often referred to as the ‘lungs of the Earth’, plays a critical role in regulating the world's oxygen and carbon cycles. Its destruction leads to biodiversity loss and contributes to climate change. For instance, deforestation can lead to the loss of habitat for millions of species, disrupt water cycles resulting in droughts or flooding, and release large quantities of CO2 into the atmosphere, exacerbating global warming.

Negative externalities human impact and environmental damage come in various forms. The creation of infrastructure such as dams can lead to disastrous effects on ecosystems.

The Three Gorges Dam in China, while beneficial for economic development, has caused environmental harm by submerging ecosystems, displacing communities, and threatening cultural heritage. Moreover, activities like shoreline dredging can lead to damaged coral reefs and the death of marine life, further emphasizing the types of adverse impacts human actions can have on the environment.

Additionally, the introduction of invasive species can alter community structures, potentially leading to the extinction of economically important species amongst other consequences. When addressing the effects of human activities on the environment that are poorly understood, the principle suggests proceeding with caution to mitigate potential harm.

This principle is even more critical as we face ongoing challenges like climate disruption, which can have a lasting impact on biodiversity and necessitate continuous changes to our infrastructure and way of living, often at the expense of the environment.

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Final answer:

The destruction of the Amazon river has many adverse effects on the environment due to negative externalities, negative impacts on biodiversity, and the contribution to climate disruption. The correct option is c) adverse.

Step-by-step explanation:

The destruction of the Amazon river has many adverse effects on the environment. This includes negative impacts on biodiversity, such as the loss of habitat for many species, increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere due to deforestation, and disruption of water cycles. These effects are examples of what environmental scientists refer to as negative externalities. Negative externalities are unintended adverse consequences of an activity that affect other parties without being reflected in the cost of the goods or services involved. In the case of the Amazon, activities such as deforestation have significant environmental impacts that are not borne by those who profit from the exploitation of the land's resources.

Additionally, the introduction of intrusive species, the effects of climate disruption, and the release of toxic chemicals into the ecosystem contribute to the degradation of the habitat. All these human impacts on the Amazon are considered adverse because they threaten the ecological balance of the area and have the potential to cause long-term damage to the environment. It's important to understand that while some infrastructure projects, like dams, can have positive effects in terms of economic development, they often come at a high environmental cost, including the displacement of people and wildlife and the submergence of archeological sites. The construction of dams often changes the natural flow of rivers, damages estuaries and coral reefs, and leads to deforestation, amongst other environmental issues. Thus, any activity that impacts the environment, especially one of considerable magnitude, like the affecting of the Amazon River, must be approached with caution and with mindfulness of its potential to cause harm.

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