Question

People cut down a forest to build a housing development. Describe two ways this action will likely affect the water cycle in the local environment.

Answer 1

For the first one I would say that the water cycle would be affected because there would be more water in the ground. The roots of the trees soak up the water and keep excellent drainage under the ground. Without trees this mechanism would be all sorts of messed up. Another way it could be affected would be the perspiration from the trees. This might change the humidity of the area.

The second question... water is evaporated from lakes and oceans into the air to become rain. Also, rain runoff form mountains goes back into rivers, oceans, and lakes.