Question map
Not attempted Correct Incorrect ★ Bookmarked
Loading…
Q2 (IAS/2018) Science & Technology › Basic Science (Physics, Chemistry, Biology) › Plant anatomy physiology Official Key

Which of the following leaf modifications occur(s) in the desert areas to inhibit water loss ? 1. Hard and waxy leaves 2. Tiny leaves 3. Thorns instead of leaves Select the correct answer using the code given below :

Result
Your answer: —  ·  Correct: D
Explanation

The correct answer is option D (1, 2, and 3) because all three modifications occur in desert plants to inhibit water loss.

Desert plants have waxy-coatings and fine hairs on leaves to retard water loss[3], which confirms statement 1. Plants have few or no leaves and the foliage is either waxy, leathery, hairy or needle-shaped to reduce the loss of water through transpiration[6], supporting both statements 1 and 2. Desert plants also exhibit leafless conditions during dry periods[3], and some of them are entirely leafless, with prickles or thorns[6], which validates statement 3.

These adaptations work together: waxy coatings create a waterproof barrier, reduced leaf size (tiny leaves or needle-shaped foliage) minimizes surface area for transpiration, and thorns represent the extreme adaptation where leaves are completely replaced to eliminate water loss. Plants, whether annuals or perennials, must struggle for survival against both aridity and poor soil[6], making these multiple adaptations essential for desert survival.

Sources
  1. [1] Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 3: MAJOR BIOMES > 10. Desert Biomes > p. 15
  2. [2] Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 3: MAJOR BIOMES > 10. Desert Biomes > p. 15
  3. [3] Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 3: MAJOR BIOMES > 10. Desert Biomes > p. 15
  4. [4] Certificate Physical and Human Geography , GC Leong (Oxford University press 3rd ed.) > Chapter 18: The Hot Desert and Mid-Latitude Desert Climate > Natural Vegetation > p. 176
  5. [5] Certificate Physical and Human Geography , GC Leong (Oxford University press 3rd ed.) > Chapter 18: The Hot Desert and Mid-Latitude Desert Climate > Natural Vegetation > p. 176
  6. [6] Certificate Physical and Human Geography , GC Leong (Oxford University press 3rd ed.) > Chapter 18: The Hot Desert and Mid-Latitude Desert Climate > Natural Vegetation > p. 176
How others answered
Each bar shows the % of students who chose that option. Green bar = correct answer, blue outline = your choice.
Community Performance
Out of everyone who attempted this question.
78%
got it right
PROVENANCE & STUDY PATTERN
Guest preview
Don’t just practise – reverse-engineer the question. This panel shows where this PYQ came from (books / web), how the examiner broke it into hidden statements, and which nearby micro-concepts you were supposed to learn from it. Treat it like an autopsy of the question: what might have triggered it, which exact lines in the book matter, and what linked ideas you should carry forward to future questions.
Q. Which of the following leaf modifications occur(s) in the desert areas to inhibit water loss ? 1. Hard and waxy leaves 2. Tiny leaves …
At a glance
Origin: From standard books Fairness: High fairness Books / CA: 10/10 · 0/10
You're seeing a guest preview. The Verdict and first statement analysis are open. Login with Google to unlock all tabs.

This is a classic 'reward for basics' question. It is a direct lift from G.C. Leong (Chapter 18) and NCERT Biology. If you skipped physical geography basics for high-level current affairs, you lost easy marks. It validates the strategy: Standard Textbooks > Random Web Surfing.

How this question is built

This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.

Statement 1
Are hard, waxy leaves a leaf modification in desert areas that inhibits water loss?
Origin: Direct from books Fairness: Straightforward Book-answerable
From standard books
Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 3: MAJOR BIOMES > 10. Desert Biomes > p. 15
Presence: 5/5
“Perennial desert plants employ other adaptive features to cope with the desert, such as long, deep tap-roots (e.g. the chaparral and maquis), succulence (i.e. thick, feshy, water-holding tissue such as that of cacti and saguaro-cactus in the desert of Arizona (USA), spreading root-systems to maximise water availability, waxy-coatings and fne hairs on leaves to retard water loss, leafess conditions during dry periods, refective surfaces to reduce leaf temperatures, and tissues that taste bad to discourage herbivores. Te deserts of the world are classifed into (i) hot-deserts, principally tropical and subtropical, and (ii) cold deserts, principally in mid-latitudes (Fig. 3.10).”
Why this source?
  • Explicitly states desert plants have waxy coatings and fine hairs on leaves to retard water loss.
  • Links these surface features to an adaptive function (reducing evaporative loss) in arid environments.
Certificate Physical and Human Geography , GC Leong (Oxford University press 3rd ed.) > Chapter 18: The Hot Desert and Mid-Latitude Desert Climate > Natural Vegetation > p. 176
Presence: 5/5
“There are plants called halophytes (salt lovers) that are adapted to survive in such saline conditions. Desert soils are deficient in humus since there is little vegetation to decay and the absence of moisture retards the rate of decomposition. Plants, whether annuals or perennials must struggle for survival against both aridity and poor soil. Most desert shrubs have long roots and are well spaced out to gather moisture, and search for ground water. Plants have few or no leaves and the foliage is either waxy, leathery, hairy or needle-shaped to reduce the loss of water through transpiration. Some of them are entirely leafless, with prickles or thorns.”
Why this source?
  • Describes desert shrub foliage as waxy, leathery, hairy or needle-shaped specifically to reduce transpiration.
  • Directly ties leaf texture/form (waxy, leathery) to the mechanism of lowering water loss.
Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 30: Climatic Regions > Desert Vegetation > p. 443
Presence: 4/5
“Plants have few or no leaves, and the foliage is either way, leathery, hairy or needle-shaped to reduce the loss of water through transpiration.• The seeds of grasses and herbs have thick, tough skins to protect them while they lie dormant for years.”
Why this source?
  • Notes desert plants have few/no leaves and that foliage is leathery, hairy or needle-shaped to reduce transpiration.
  • Reinforces the pattern of modified leaf forms in arid regions aimed at conserving water.
Statement analysis

This statement analysis shows book citations, web sources and indirect clues. The first statement (S1) is open for preview.

Login with Google to unlock all statements.

Statement analysis

This statement analysis shows book citations, web sources and indirect clues. The first statement (S1) is open for preview.

Login with Google to unlock all statements.

How to study

This tab shows concrete study steps: what to underline in books, how to map current affairs, and how to prepare for similar questions.

Login with Google to unlock study guidance.

Micro-concepts

Discover the small, exam-centric ideas hidden in this question and where they appear in your books and notes.

Login with Google to unlock micro-concepts.

The Vault

Access hidden traps, elimination shortcuts, and Mains connections that give you an edge on every question.

Login with Google to unlock The Vault.

✓ Thank you! We'll review this.

SIMILAR QUESTIONS

IAS · 2013 · Q69 Relevance score: 8.03

Which of the following leaf modifications occurs/occur in desert areas to inhibit water loss? 1. Hard and waxy leaves 2. Tiny leaves or no leaves 3. Thorns instead leaves Select the correct answer using the codes given below.

CAPF · 2020 · Q44 Relevance score: -4.60

Which one of the following statements about the Acacia tree is/are correct ? 1. It has a long shallow root system which enables it to find moisture 2. It has thorny leaves to prevent water loss 3. It has wide crown so the foliage can absorb the maximum Sunlight Select the correct answer using the code given below:

CDS-I · 2009 · Q71 Relevance score: -5.71

Because of which one of the following factors, clouds do not precipitate in deserts?

CAPF · 2013 · Q26 Relevance score: -6.13

Leaves of lotus and water lily are not easily wet because the leaves

IAS · 2017 · Q71 Relevance score: -6.43

Which of the following practices can help in water conservation in agriculture ? 1. Reduced or zero tillage of the land 2. Applying gypsum before irrigating the field 3. Allowing crop residue to remain in the field Select the correct answer using the code given below :