How can construction activities impact wetlands?

Construction activities can have a detrimental impact on wetlands, and the correct choice highlights a particularly harmful effect: smothering spawning areas. Wetlands serve as vital habitats for many species, including fish, amphibians, and invertebrates, which often use these environments for spawning. When construction occurs near or within wetlands, the introduction of sediment and other materials can cover and smother these spawning areas, significantly hindering the development of eggs and larvae.

Wetlands play a crucial role in maintaining ecological integrity, and their physical alteration due to construction can lead to a decrease in the quality of the habitat. The disturbed sediment can clog gills of aquatic organisms and diminish the natural processes that support diverse life forms.

Other options, such as creating new habitats or increasing biodiversity, do not align with the realities of construction interference in wetlands; rather, these activities typically lead to habitat loss. Enhancing water clarity is also misleading, as construction usually contributes to increased turbidity from sedimentation, adversely affecting water quality rather than improving it.