Which of the following is NOT a factor affecting runoff?

Temperature is the correct choice as it does not directly impact the process of runoff in the same way that vegetation coverage, soil permeability, and antecedent moisture conditions do.

Vegetation coverage plays a critical role in runoff by intercepting precipitation, reducing the speed of water flow, and promoting infiltration into the soil. The more densely vegetated an area is, the less runoff is likely to occur, as plants absorb water and shade the ground, decreasing evaporation.

Soil permeability also significantly affects runoff. Highly permeable soils allow water to infiltrate and absorb more efficiently, which can reduce the volume of surface runoff. Conversely, less permeable soils lead to increased runoff as water struggles to penetrate the ground.

Antecedent moisture condition refers to the soil moisture present before a rain event. If the soil is already saturated from prior rainfall, any additional rain is more likely to create runoff because the soil cannot absorb any more water. This condition directly influences how much water will flow over the surface rather than being absorbed.

In contrast, while temperature can influence evaporation rates and plant transpiration, it does not have a direct correlation with the physical processes that determine how much water runs off the surface during storm events. Thus, it stands out as the factor that does