Question

By damming rivers and creating reservoirs, we are primarily affecting:

a) Climate change
b) Watershed ecosystems
c) Desertification
d) Coastal erosion

Answer 1

Damming rivers and creating reservoirs primarily affects watershed ecosystems by altering the flow of water and access to different parts of a river, which can lead to declines in fish populations and other changes to the ecology of the river.

Step-by-step explanation:

Damming rivers and creating reservoirs primarily affects watershed ecosystems. Dams alter the flow of water and access to different parts of a river, which can reduce or eliminate populations of species adapted to specific flow patterns. For example, many fish species in the United States have declined due to habitat loss and river damming. Additionally, reservoirs and dams can cause changes in water temperature, chemistry, flow characteristics, and silt loads, resulting in significant changes to the ecology and physical characteristics of the river.