Question

A small forest stood on the edge of an expanding city. In the middle of the forest was a large pond, which arose from a natural spring. As the city expanded, the forest was cut down, the pond drained, and the area paved over for a mall and office buildings. After five years, the average humidity of the area seemed to have decreased. Use your knowledge of the water cycle to interpret this observation.

Answer 1

Step-by-step explanation:

The water cycle ( aka the hydrological cycle ) is a biogeochemical cycle which illustrates the constant movement of water on, above and below the Earth's surface.

The water cycle plays a major function in the sustainability of life on Earth as most living organisms can't do without water. Because the cycle is a natural process, it depends on natural presences for its continuation and those presences certainly do not include office buildings and malls.

Plants contribute majorly to the water cycle, as do animals, but not on such a large scale as plants. Green plants give off water in its gaseous state (water vapour) through the process of transpiration which is one of the key stages in the water cycle. Green plants also absorb and make use of the water in the earth's soil which is made possible through the process of percolation, another key component of the hydrological cycle.

For the scenario stated in the question, because the trees which made up the forest were cut down to give way for the city's expansion, there was an alteration in that region's water cycle. The pond which was sustaining and being sustained by their roles in the efficient circulation of water, naturally began to dry up with their decreasing numbers.

Thus, the humidity of the area ultimately decreased with time because of this alteration.

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