Question

Which of the following changes to the local hydrologic cycle will result if large areas of land experienced clear-cutting?
Transpiration of water from vegetation will increase.

Evaporation of water from the soil will increase.

Runoff from watersheds will decrease.

Siltation of local streams will decrease.

Answer 1

Answer:

Option (2)

Explanation:

The cutting down of trees is commonly known as the deforestation process, and directly affects the water cycle process occurring in that localized region. This also results in the increasing rate of soil erosion, loss of fertility of the soil, and flooding.

Due to the absence of trees, there will not be any transpiration process where the excess water is released into the atmosphere from the plant body.

There will be a high rate of surface run-off as the water holding capacity decreases in the region due to the absence of trees.

The siltation of local streams will eventually increase as it will mix up with the sediments of that dry land areas.

The rate of evaporation of water from the soil will thereby increase due to the absence of vegetation and lesser water holding capacity. So, the water present in the soil will be transferred into the atmosphere in the form of water vapor, by the process of evaporation.

Thus, the correct answer is option (2).

Answer 2

The water current through the Earths environment is called the hydrological cycle. It is a kind of Biogeochemical series that describes the endless water flow on the exteriors and depths of the Earth.

The correct answer is:

Option b. The evaporation of water from the soil will increase.

This can be explained as:

• Cutting a large number of trees in a region is called Deforestation. It majorly alters the water cycle of the region.

• Deforestation results in soil weathering, flooding and reduces the richness of the land.

• Due to the large cutting down of the trees the transpiration flow will be altered.

• Due to the inadequacy of tress in the area surface, run-offs will increase and the water retaining capability of the soil will reduce.

• The siltation of regional streams will double due to the mixing of the soil run-offs.

• Due to the lack of vegetation speed of evaporation from the soil will rise.

Therefore, evaporation of water from the soil will increase.

To learn more about the hydrologic cycle refer to the link:

https://brainly.com/question/16037278