Unwise land use further degrades water quality. A river may be less healthy where it passes through farmland than where it passes through forested lands due to fertilizer runoff and sedimentation. As water flows through land being used for different purposes it picks up contaminants which change the quality of the water. Both additive and subtractive effects may be seen. The effect of urbanization on temperature of microclimates by Annette Sheffield , Karin Westerling .
Urban environments differ from agricultural and wild lands in many respects.
Two obvious features are buildings and walls. These objects modify their adjacent microclimates by absorbing solar energy, radiating heat, and providing shade. Buildings and walls can be used to actively manipulate the microenvironment to benefit agriculture. In this inquiry we chose to study the microclimatic effects on the north and south sides of some large, brick buildings. Edge effects by Bob Steingreaber , Jeff Roe .