Question 1 Report
The table below shows measurements made along a transect from a saline pan towards a low dune in a hot desert in Botswana. Fig. 1 shows the pan surface after water evaporated. The fieldwork team noticed pale crusts on the ground and only scattered salt-tolerant plants.
| Distance from pan centre (m) | Soil salt content (%) | Plant cover (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | 12.4 | 0 |
| 50 | 8.7 | 3 |
| 100 | 4.1 | 12 |
| 150 | 1.6 | 28 |
(a) Which site has the highest plant cover? [1]
(b) Outline why salt may be left on the surface of the pan. [2]
(c) Draw three small symbols on Fig. 1 to show where evaporation would leave a salt crust. [1]
(a) 150 m [1] (b) Water containing dissolved salts reaches the surface [1]; intense heat causes water to evaporate and salts remain [1]. (c) Three symbols placed on the flat cracked pan surface [1]
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