A farm located near a reservoir switches from diverse cropping to monoculture and removes grassed waterways. After several years, the reservoir’s capacity decreases due to sediment accumulation, and treatment costs rise. Which sequence best describes the cause-and-effect chain?
- Land conversion/monoculture + reduced vegetative barriers → increased erosion → sedimentation in reservoir → reduced capacity and higher treatment costs (correct answer)
- Monoculture → increased infiltration → less erosion → more reservoir sedimentation
- Removal of grassed waterways → less runoff → more sediment reaches reservoir
- Sedimentation → increased reservoir capacity → lower treatment costs
Explanation: Switching to monoculture and removing grassed waterways reduces vegetative barriers, increasing erosion and sediment delivery to the reservoir, decreasing capacity and raising costs. This sequence links practices to downstream effects. Choice A correctly outlines the cause-and-effect chain. B incorrectly states increased infiltration leads to more sedimentation. C claims less runoff causes more sediment, illogical. D suggests sedimentation increases capacity, opposite of reality. Tracing these chains aids in predicting agricultural impacts on water infrastructure.