Question

Which of the following summaries best describes how flooding by streams impacts humans?

a. Floods have both negative and positive aspects as they cause destruction and yet also provide floodplains with sediments and nutrients.
b. Floods have a completely positive impact on people as they create flat land suitable for farming.
c. Floods are completely negative in human terms considering the damage caused.
d. Floods are primarily positive, as they help regulate water flow and prevent droughts.
e. Floods are primarily negative, as they disrupt human settlements and agriculture.

Answer 1

The most accurate summary is that a. floods have both negative and positive aspects. While they can cause destruction and alter ecosystems detrimentally, they also deposit sediments and nutrients that create fertile floodplains for agriculture.

Step-by-step explanation:

The best summary that describes how flooding by streams impacts humans is: a. Floods have both negative and positive aspects as they cause destruction and yet also provide floodplains with sediments and nutrients. Floods lead to habitat destruction, negatively affecting biodiversity, including species of fish and amphibians that are important for the health of ecosystems.

This habitat destruction potentially leads to a loss of species and ecosystem services, which can adversely impact human communities. For example, damming and modification of rivers can change the natural flow of water, affecting species that rely on seasonal changes.

On the other hand, floodplains enriched by sediments and nutrients because of flooding can be highly fertile and important for agriculture. Moreover, the distribution of water resources caused by human activities such as farming can impact ecosystems, requiring dams for flow regulation that, while helping to prevent droughts, can also have negative consequences like displacement of communities and loss of biodiversity.