Question

Select the statement(s) that accurately predicts the impact that erosion has on food webs and ecosystems.

Erosion of topsoil will cause the loss of nutrient-rich soil and eventually loss of plant life.

Runoff due to erosion will affect the small organisms at the bottom of the food web.

Pollution of water ecosystems due to erosion runoff will cause loss of aquatic species and habitat.

Erosion of land does not majorly impact ecosystems or food webs.

Erosion will cause land to be better cleared for farming and use by people.

Answer 1

Accurate statements: 1, 2, and 3.

- Erosion of topsoil will cause the loss of nutrient-rich soil and eventually loss of plant life.
- True. Topsoil contains most of the organic matter and nutrients plants need; its loss reduces plant productivity and can lead to vegetation decline.

- Runoff due to erosion will affect the small organisms at the bottom of the food web.
- True. Sediment, nutrients, and pollutants in runoff harm phytoplankton, benthic invertebrates, soil microbes and other primary producers/consumers, disrupting food-web base dynamics.

- Pollution of water ecosystems due to erosion runoff will cause loss of aquatic species and habitat.
- True. Sedimentation and nutrient/pollutant loading increase turbidity, smother habitat, cause eutrophication and oxygen loss, and can eliminate sensitive aquatic species.

False or misleading statements: 4 and 5.

- Erosion of land does not majorly impact ecosystems or food webs.
- False. Erosion typically has major negative impacts on soil fertility, habitat structure and aquatic systems, cascading through food webs.

- Erosion will cause land to be better cleared for farming and use by people.
- Misleading/false. While erosion can remove vegetation, it generally degrades soil quality and reduces long-term agricultural productivity rather than “improving” land for farming.