Limnological studies on the Pretoria Salt Pan, a hypersaline maar lake

Abstract

The Pretoria Salt pan is shallow and alkaline with pronounced mesothermy at a depth of between 0.55 and 0.7 metres. Secchi disc transparencies ranged from 7 to 19 cm. Endorheic or closed drainage basins are widely distributed in many climate conditions. Where evaporation exceeds precipitation, close lakes within the basins become saline, particularly if they receive inflows sufficient to maintain standing body water.