Environmental Consequences of Connectivity Practice Test

In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, Spanish officials in Mexico City encouraged large-scale cattle ranching to supply hides and tallow for Atlantic markets. Herds multiplied rapidly on grasslands formerly used by Indigenous communities for mixed farming and hunting. Overgrazing compacted soils, reduced native plant cover, and increased erosion during seasonal rains, while ranchers diverted water to support livestock. Which environmental consequence best illustrates how expanding interregional trade networks reshaped local ecosystems?

In the nineteenth century, steamships and railroads helped move guano mined from Peruvian islands to farms in Europe and North America. Mining companies stripped nesting grounds, disturbing seabird colonies that had accumulated guano over centuries. The sudden removal of nutrient-rich deposits altered island ecosystems and reduced bird populations, while dust and waste affected nearby waters. Which choice best connects this case to environmental consequences of global connectivity?