Final answer:
The salinity of surface waters is expected to be higher in areas where evaporation exceeds precipitation, as evaporation leaves salts behind, thus concentrating them in the remaining water.
Step-by-step explanation:
We would expect the salinity of surface waters to be higher in regions where evaporation is much greater than precipitation. In these areas, more water is leaving the surface as vapor, and because evaporation leaves behind dissolved ions, the water that remains has a higher concentration of salts, thus increasing salinity. Conversely, in regions where precipitation outpaces evaporation, fresh water dilutes the salinity, leading to lower salinity levels in surface waters.
Salinity is an important aspect of the water cycle. When water evaporates, it leaves behind its dissolved salts; therefore, areas with significant evaporation compared to precipitation are likely to have higher salinity levels in their surface water. This process is a natural part of the water cycle, which includes evaporation, condensation (forming clouds), and precipitation (rain or snow), eventually leading to groundwater recharge and affecting freshwater resources.