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?
Show answer
Answer: D. Statement-I is wrong: tropical rainforest soils are poor in nutrients. Statement-II is correct: heat and moisture make dead matter rot fast, and the nutrients are quickly taken up by plants or washed away by heavy rain (leaching). So I is incorrect, II is correct.
Watch for: Lush forest suggests rich soil, but the nutrients are stored in the plants, not the soil.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Wrong because Statement-I is false.
- B. Wrong because Statement-I is false.
- C. Wrong because Statement-I is false and Statement-II is true.
Source to check: NCERT Class 11 India: Physical Environment, Ch 6 Soils (laterite soils and leaching); NCERT Class 11 Fundamentals of Physical Geography, Ch 15 Life on the Earth
Answer from the official UPSC key. Written and fact-checked by AI against the official key. Spotted a mistake? Report it.