The Ogallala Aquifer, also known as the High Plains Aquifer, is a vast yet shallow underground water table aquifer located beneath the Great Plains in the United States. It is one of the world's largest aquifers. Where the Ogallala Aquifer comes naturally to the surface (springs), there are often barren areas, devoid of most vegetation, because the soil is very salty (minerals from underground percolate to the surface at these springs). HOWEVER, there are two species of Ambrosia (ragweed), A. linearis and A. psilostachya, which are commonly found growing on these salt deposits. There are six species of Ambrosia that grow in the nearby grasslands.
- Trying to account for the presence of only two of the species on these salt flats, what did the investigator likely observe, consistent with the above:
- when 100 genotypes of each of the six species were collected and grown in a greenhouse in soil that had lots of salt in it (5 pts)
only the two species normally found growing on the salt flats demonstrated genetic variation for salt tolerance
only the four species not found on the salt flats demonstrated genetic variation for salt tolerance
all six species demonstrated genetic variation for tolerance to salt
none of the six species demonstrated genetic variation for salt tolerance
none of the above
