Diane Pan
Cumulative effects are changes in an environment caused by incremental actions over time. This relates to watersheds because man-made influences can become stress factors that impact entire ecosystems. The declining water quality of our watersheds has been due to industries flushing untreated wastewater into lakes, rivers, and groundwater. Freshwater resources are fundamental to maintaining biodiversity and healthy ecosystems, as negative impacts can magnify when problems flow downstream and into the oceans. Rising temperatures ultimately compromise water supply, increase risk of water-borne disease, and increase frequency of droughts. Water contamination and pollution is nearly impossible to reverse, because of how groundwater can travel great distances and empty into lakes and river. As human development continues to hinder natural aquatic ecosystems, species like Beluga whales and trout become threatened. These are all effects that accumulate over time, as human activities continue to disrupt natural environments.
