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| Description: Water is essential for biochemical reactions and is involved in nearly every environmental system Oceans are the main reservoir (97% of water) Evaporation = water moves from aquatic and land systems to air Transpiration = release of water vapor by plants Precipitation = condensation of water vapor as rain or snow Aquifers = underground reservoirs of sponge-like regions of rock and soil that hold groundwater Groundwater = water found underground beneath layers of soil Water table = the upper limit of groundwater held in an aquifer Water may be ancient (thousands of years old) Groundwater becomes exposed to the air where the water table reaches the surface Damming rivers increases evaporation and infiltration Altering the surface and vegetation increases runoff and erosion Spreading water on agricultural fields depletes rivers, lakes and streams Removing forests and vegetation reduces transpiration and lowers water tables Emitting pollutants changes the nature of precipitation The most threatening impact is overdrawing groundwater for drinking, irrigation, and industrial use Picture Stats: Views: 257 Filesize: 192kB Height: 823 Width: 1360 Source: https://biology-forums.com/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view;id=35634 |