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Q63 (IAS/2023) Geography › World Physical Geography › Natural vegetation biomes Official Key

Consider the following statements : Statement-I : The soil in tropical rain forests is rich in nutrients. Statement-II : The high temperature and moisture of tropical rain forests cause dead organic matter in the soil to decompose quickly. Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

Result
Your answer: —  ·  Correct: D
Explanation

The correct answer is Option 4 because Statement-I is incorrect, while Statement-II is correct.

Contrary to common perception, the soil in tropical rainforests is nutrient-poor (oxisols/ultisols). While these regions support lush vegetation, the heavy and frequent rainfall leads to intense leaching, where essential soluble nutrients are washed away deep into the subsoil, leaving the topsoil acidic and deficient in minerals.

Statement-II accurately explains the underlying biological process. The high temperature and constant moisture create an ideal environment for decomposers (bacteria and fungi). Consequently, dead organic matter (leaf litter) decomposes extremely rapidly. Rather than being stored in the soil as humus, these nutrients are almost immediately reabsorbed by the dense root systems of the standing vegetation to support quick growth. Thus, the nutrients are locked in the biomass rather than the soil itself, making Statement-I false and Statement-II true.

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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. Consider the following statements : Statement-I : The soil in tropical rain forests is rich in nutrients. Statement-II : The high tem…
At a glance
Origin: Books + Current Affairs Fairness: Moderate fairness Books / CA: 6.7/10 · 3.3/10
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This is a classic 'Conceptual Paradox' question found in every standard Geography NCERT. It tests the counter-intuitive fact that the world's lushest forests grow on some of the world's poorest soils. If you relied on 'common sense' (more trees = better soil), you walked into the trap.

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 soils in tropical rain forests rich in nutrients?
Origin: Direct from books Fairness: Straightforward Book-answerable
From standard books
Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 30: Climatic Regions > Explanation: > p. 429
Presence: 5/5
“• The tropical rain forests, if cleared, can yield productive farmland: this statement is wrong. The tropical soils are heavily leached. Some fertility is added by burning down the felled trees. This little fertility is lost after 2-3 crops. Can support intensive agriculture for several years even without chemical fertilizers: this is also wrong. Intensive agriculture for several years is not possible without adding fertilizers. So (d) A is false but R is true is the answer.”
Why this source?
  • Explicitly states tropical soils are heavily leached.
  • Says only a small, temporary fertility is added by burning and is lost after 2–3 crops, implying low inherent soil fertility.
Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 3: Terrestrial Ecosystems > 3.2.5. Tropical rain forests: > p. 25
Presence: 3/5
“• r Tropical rain forests occur near the equator. • r Tropical rain forests are among the most diverse and rich communities on the earth. • r Both temperature and humidity remain high and more or less uniform. • r The annual rainfall exceeds 300 cm and is generally distributed throughout the year. • The flora is highly diversified • The extreme dense vegetation of the tropical rain forests remains vertically stratified with tall trees often covered with vines, creepers, lianas, epiphytic orchids and bromeliads. • The lowest layer is an understory of trees, shrubs, herbs, like ferns and palms. • Soil of tropical rainforests are red latosols, and they are very thick”
Why this source?
  • Identifies rainforest soils as red latosols (lateritic soils) typical of tropical regions.
  • Specifies the characteristic soil type (red latosols), supporting inference about distinctive tropical soil properties relevant to nutrient status.
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Statement analysis

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SIMILAR QUESTIONS

NDA-II · 2016 · Q3 Relevance score: 2.59

Statement I : The laterite soils develop in areas with high temperature and high rainfall. Statement I : Laterite soils are the result of intense leaching process.

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CAPF · 2013 · Q122 Relevance score: 2.07

Statement I : Virgin soils of newly cleared forests give higher yield of coffee. Statement I : Coffee is a soil nutrient exhaustive crop.

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Consider the following statements : Statement I : The amount of dust particles in the atmosphere is more in subtropical and temperate areas than in equatorial and polar regions. Statement II : Subtropical and temperate areas have less dry winds. Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?