Final answer:
The high use of water in agricultural practices leads to environmental impacts such as soil salinization, water scarcity, and pollution of water bodies through nutrient runoff, affecting both land and aquatic ecosystems.
Step-by-step explanation:
An example of an environmental impact of agriculture is the high use of water. One of the significant ecological concerns is that agriculture accounts for about 70 percent of freshwater use, and this intensive utilization is necessary for animal consumption, irrigation, pest control, and other farming activities.
Not only does this lead to water scarcity, but it also contributes to non-point source water pollutants like salts, fertilizers, and pesticides, which detrimentally affect both groundwater and surface waters. The widespread use of water in agriculture can cause soil salinization, which diminishes soil productivity, and leads to eutrophication and "dead zones" in water bodies because of nutrient runoff, which in turn harm aquatic ecosystems and reduce water quality for agriculture, drinking supply, and fisheries.