How are animals primarily affected by air pollutants?

The correct response indicates that animals are primarily affected by air pollutants through ingesting vegetation. This is a notable aspect of how pollution can impact wildlife and the broader ecosystem. When air pollutants settle on plants, they can be absorbed or taken up by the vegetation. As animals consume these plants, they inadvertently intake these harmful substances, which can lead to various health issues ranging from respiratory problems to long-term reproductive effects.

Airborne pollutants can also lead to the bioaccumulation of toxins in plants, heightening the risk for herbivores that rely on these plants as their main food source. This pathway illustrates a systemic issue where air quality directly influences the conditions of land ecosystems via the plants that serve as a primary food source for many animals.

In contrast, other options, while they identify ways animals can be affected by pollution, do not serve as the primary method for air pollutants specifically. Animals inhaling pollution, consuming contaminated water, or highly toxic food and water, typically link to different routes of exposure, such as direct environmental contamination or poor food safety practices, rather than the specific impact of air pollutants on vegetation and the food chain.