Assertion (A) : Unlike temperate forests, the tropical rain forests, if cleared, can yield productive farmland that can support intensive agriculture for several years even without chemical fertilizers. Reason (R) : The primary productivity of the tropical rain forest is very high when compared to that of temperate forests.

Question

YESPYQ · Accepted Answer

Correct answer: A is false but R is true. Primary productivity refers to the rate at which plants and other photosynthetic organisms produce organic com- pounds from carbon dioxide and sunlight, forming the base of the food chain in an ecosystem. Assertion (A) is false : While temperate forest soils are gen- erally richer in nutrients due to slower decomposition rates and seasonal leaf litter, tropical rainforest soils are nutrient-poor. The rapid decomposition in tropical rainforests causes nutrients to be quickly absorbed by the dense vegetation, leaving the soil itself infertile. Once the forest is cleared, the exposed soil is rap- idly depleted due to erosion and leaching from heavy rains, mak- ing sustained agriculture difficult without chemical inputs. Reason (R) is true : The primary productivity (the rate at which plants convert sunlight into energy through photosyn- thesis) of tropical rainforests is indeed very high compared to temperate forests. This is due to consistent warm tempera- tures, high rainfall, and abundant sunlight year-round, which promote continuous plant gr

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