Question map
The luxuriant growth of natural vegeta- tion in tropical rainforest is due to 1. fertile soil. 2. hot and wet climate throughout the year. 3. intense sunlight for photosynthesis. 4. seasonal change to facilitate nutrient absorption. Select the correct answer using the code given below :
Explanation
The luxuriant growth of tropical rainforests is primarily driven by the hot and wet climate, characterized by uniformly high temperatures and heavy rainfall distributed throughout the year [3]. This constant warmth and moisture eliminate seasonal restrictions like drought or cold, allowing for a year-round growing season [2]. Intense sunlight is a critical factor for photosynthesis, leading to extreme competition for light and the development of a vertically stratified dense canopy [5]. Conversely, the soil in these regions is generally infertile and acidic (laterite/latosols) due to intense leaching [4]. The ecosystem relies on rapid nutrient cycling where organic matter decomposes quickly and is immediately reabsorbed by roots, rather than stored in the soil [5]. Furthermore, there is no distinct seasonal change to facilitate absorption; instead, the process is continuous [2]. Therefore, only statements 2 and 3 are correct.
Sources
- [1] Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 30: Climatic Regions > Equatorial Vegetation > p. 426
- [2] Certificate Physical and Human Geography , GC Leong (Oxford University press 3rd ed.) > Chapter 15: The Hot, Wet Equatorial Climate > Natural Vegetation > p. 152
- [3] Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 3: Terrestrial Ecosystems > 3.2.5. Tropical rain forests: > p. 25
- [5] Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 3: MAJOR BIOMES > 1. Tropical Evergreen Rainforest Biome > p. 5
- [4] Certificate Physical and Human Geography , GC Leong (Oxford University press 3rd ed.) > Chapter 15: The Hot, Wet Equatorial Climate > Sample Objective Ouestions > p. 156