Name two environmental consequences commonly associated with high-input agriculture.

• A. Water and soil pollution from fertilizer and pesticide runoff, biodiversity loss, and pesticide resistance
• B. Improved biodiversity and cleaner water
• C. Increased soil fertility without pollution
• D. Decreased need for water resources

Answer: (A)

High-input agriculture tends to create environmental costs from heavy chemical use. The best answer points to water and soil pollution from runoff of fertilizers and pesticides, plus biodiversity loss and the emergence of pesticide resistance. When large amounts of fertilizers wash into streams and groundwater, nutrients cause eutrophication—algal blooms, depleted oxygen, and degraded aquatic ecosystems. Pesticides can contaminate water bodies and harm non-target organisms, further reducing biodiversity. The heavy, uniform production strips landscapes of variety, lowering species diversity, and the constant pest pressure leads to resistant pest populations, making control harder over time. The other options describe outcomes that don’t typically accompany high-input systems, such as cleaner water, improved biodiversity, pollution-free soil, or less water use.