Question

1. what does the urban heat island effect cause in cities?

a. reduced biodiversity
b. higher temperatures
c. increased water scarcity
d. improved air quality

Explanation:

The urban heat island effect is the phenomenon where urban areas are significantly warmer than their surrounding rural areas. This is due to human activities and the replacement of natural surfaces with impervious materials like concrete and asphalt. So, it primarily causes higher temperatures in cities. Option a (reduced biodiversity) is more related to habitat loss, option c (increased water scarcity) is not a direct result of the heat island effect, and option d (improved air quality) is incorrect as the heat island effect is associated with worse air quality due to trapped pollutants.

Answer:

b. Higher temperatures