Which outcome occurs when groundwater depletion lowers the potentiometric surface in soluble bedrock?

💡 Explanation

An increased density of sinkholes occurs because the lowered potentiometric surface reduces support for overlying sediments promoting collapse via mechanical suffosion into solution voids rather than supporting bedrock. Therefore, sinkholes increase rather than the stability remaining unchanged.

• Which process creates an alluvial fan when a high-gradient stream flows onto a valley floor with reduced slope?
• Which effect causes deflection of air masses, resulting in the formation of global wind patterns?
• Which global outcome results when increased aerosol concentrations amplify Earth's albedo effect?
• Which surface deformation commonly results from seasonal solifluction in subarctic tundra caused by melting permafrost?
• Which risk increases for mainland ecosystems when extensive barrier island erosion occurs?
• Which mechanism causes stream channel incision when tectonic uplift increases land slope?