Biology Regents Practice Exam

When considering the primary environmental concern associated with building a new shopping center, the most significant impact involves the potential decrease in resources needed by local organisms. Development projects like shopping centers typically require clearing land, which disrupts natural habitats. This can lead to a loss of plant and animal life that depend on those resources, such as food, shelter, and breeding grounds.

The alteration of the environment can reduce the availability of these essential resources, affecting not only the local ecosystem but also potentially leading to declines in certain species. As land is converted for urban use, the balance of local ecological systems is disrupted, which can have cascading effects on biodiversity and ecosystem health.

In contrast, other concerns like increased competition with existing businesses are more related to economic impact rather than direct environmental degradation. Similarly, the notions of decreased pollution or increased biodiversity are generally not associated with the construction of shopping centers, as such developments often lead to increased environmental stress rather than improvements.