The Forests

Total Questions: 27

11. The coniferous forests are not found in: [U.P.P.C.S.(Pre) 2001]

(a) Amazonia
(b) Scandinavian
(c) Canada
(d) Finland

Correct Answer: (a) Amazonia

Solution:Coniferous forest is found in 50° N to 60°N latitudes that lies between the Tundra to the north and the deciduous forest to the south. These forests are found in Canada, Europe, Asia, and the United States. So it is clear that coniferous forests are not found in Amazonia (Brazil). Rather, tropical evergreen forests are found in Amazonia (Brazil).

12. Coniferous forests are mainly found in - [Uttarakhand Lower (Sub.) (Pre) 2010]

(a) Tropical region
(b) Temperate region
(c) Coastal region
(d) None of above

Correct Answer: (b) Temperate region

Solution:Coniferous forests are mainly found in the temperate regions of the world.

Types of Coniferous Forest:

Northern Coniferous Forests (Taiga): Found in the northern regions of North America, Europe, and Asia, including Canada, Scandinavia, and Siberia. The taiga is the world's largest terrestrial biome, known for its cold winters, short growing seasons, and primarily coniferous tree species, such as spruce, fir, and pine.
Montane Coniferous Forests: These forests are found at high altitudes, often in mountainous
regions around the world. Montane coniferous forests have cooler temperatures and shorter growing seasons. They contain conifer species like subalpine fir, Engelmann spruce, and mountain pine.
Temperate Coniferous Forests: Located in temperate regions with milder climates, such as the
Pacific Northwest of North America and parts of Europe and Asia. These forests have a mix of coniferous and broadleaf trees, including species like Douglas fir, western red cedar, and Sitka spruce.
Tropical Coniferous Forests: Found in some high-elevation regions of the tropics, like the Sierra
Madre Oriental in Mexico. These forests are unique because they occur in tropical regions, but the elevation brings cooler temperatures. They often feature conifer species adapted to these conditions.
Sclerophyllous Coniferous Forests: Found in regions with a Mediterranean climate, including parts
of California, Chile, and parts of Australia. These forests have conifers like Monterey pine and cypress, along with drought-resistant shrubs and hard-leaved plants.
Alpine Coniferous Forests: These forests are located at high altitudes in alpine or subalpine zones around the world. These forests are adapted to extremely harsh conditions, with stunted, wind-sculpted coniferous trees like the whitebark pine and alpine fir.

13. In which of the following countries of Africa, dense, hot and humid forest are found? [U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 1998]

(a) Ivory Coastar
(b) Kenya
(c) Zimbabwe
(d) South Africa

Correct Answer: (a) Ivory Coastar

Solution:Among the countries given in the options, hot, humid and dense forests are found in Ivory Coast. It is situated at the coast of the Gulf of Guinea. Ivory Coast is situated on the Gulf of Guinea, a large body of water in West Africa along the Atlantic Ocean. The country experiences a warm and humid climate, with temperatures ranging from the low 60s to the low 100s Fahrenheit (mid-10s to upper 30s Celsius) and high relative humidity.

Forests:

A broad belt of dense forest covers nearly one-third of the country, extending north of the lagoon region in the east and reaching down to the coastline in the west between the Sassandra River and the mouth of the Cavally River. The Taï National Park, located in the southwest, protects the largest area of forest remaining in the Upper Guinean rainforest belt of West Africa. The vegetation is predominantly dense evergreen ombrophilous forest with emergent trees up to 60 m (200 ft) tall, with massive trunks and large buttresses or stilt roots. Ivory Coast is a major producer of cocoa, a major national cash crop.

14. Consider the following statements and answer the question with the help of codes given below: [I.A.S. (Pre) 2003]

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 compared to that of temperate forests.

Code:

(a) Both (A) and (R) are true individually true, and (R) is the correct explanation of (A)
(b) Both (A) and (R) are individually true, but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A).
(c) (A) is true, but (R) is false.
(d) (A) is false, but (R) is true.

Correct Answer: (d) (A) is false, but (R) is true.

Solution:Instead of the tropical rain forests, if temperate forests are cleared, they can yield productive farmland. Land for agriculture is being fastly developed in mid-latitude area by clearing these forests. So, Assertion (A) is wrong. Primary productivity of tropical rainforest (2200 gram biomass per square meter/year) is greater than all other types of forests. It is greater than temperate forests (1320 gram biomass/square meter/year) also. Thus reason (R) is true.

15. If tropical rain forest is removed, it does not regenerate quickly as compared to a tropical deciduous forest. This is because [I.A.S. (Pre) 2011]

(a) The soil of rain forest is deficient in nutrients
(b) Propagules of the trees in a rain forest have poor viability
(c) The rain forest species are slow-growing
(d) Exotic species invade the fertile soil of rain forest

Correct Answer: (a) The soil of rain forest is deficient in nutrients

Solution:Tropical rainforest soils are often nutrient-poor due to the high rainfall, which leads to rapid leaching (washing away) of nutrients. In rainforests, most nutrients are rapidly recycled within the living vegetation and rapidly decomposed organic matter, leaving little in the soil. When rainforests are cleared, the soil is exposed to intense rainfall and sunlight, leading to erosion and further nutrient loss. The combination of nutrient-poor soil and the difficulty of establishing new trees in such conditions makes regeneration of a tropical rainforest much slower than that of a tropical deciduous forest. Tropical deciduous forests, which experience a distinct dry season, tend to have more fertile soils, and the trees are adapted to survive and regenerate more readily in such conditions.

16. Consider the following statements: [I.A.S. (Pre) 2023]

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?

(a) Both Statement-1 and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I
(b) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I
(c) Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect.
(d) Statement-I is incorrect but Statement-II is correct.

Correct Answer: (d) Statement-I is incorrect but Statement-II is correct.

Solution:Tropical rainforests have extremely poor soil, in contrast to the common misconception that because of the abundance of plants, warmth and moisture, the soil must be quite rich. Hence statement-I is false. Notably, tropical rainforests have higher temperatures and more moisture than the other regions, which accelerates the decomposition of dead organic matter in the soil and releases nutrients more rapidly.

17. Match list I with list II and select the correct answer: [I.A.S. (Pre) 1999]

List-I (Timber)		List-II (Country)
A. Cedar	1.	Myanmar
B. Douglas Fir	2.	Canada
C. Mahogany	3.	Mexico
D. Teak	4.	Honduras

Code:

	A	B	C	D
(a)	3	2	1	4
(b)	3	2	4	1
(c)	2	3	4	1
(d)	2	3	1	4

Correct Answer: (c)

Solution:The correctly matched timbers with their countries are as follows:

Timber	Country
Cedar	Canada
Douglas Fir	Mexico
Mahogany	Honduras
Teak	Myanmar

18. Match List-1 with List-II and choose the correct answer from the codes given below the lists- [U.P.R.O/A.R.O. (Mains) 2013]

List-I		List-II
A. Monsoon Forest	1.	Plum and Olive
B. Equatorial Forest	2.	Pine and Spruce
C. Mediterranean Forest	3.	Teak and Sal
D. Coniferous Forest	4.	Mahogany and Rosewood

Code:

	A	B	C	D
(a)	3	4	1	2
(b)	2	3	4	1
(c)	4	2	3	1
(d)	1	3	2	4

Correct Answer: (a)

Solution:The correct match of List-I with List-II is as follows:

Forest Type	Trees
Monsoon Forest	Teak and Sal
Equatorial Forest	Mahogany and Rosewood
Mediterranean Forest	Plum and Olive
Coniferous Forest	Pine and Spruce

19. Which country of the world is the largest producer and exporter of soft timber and wood pulp? [45th B.P.S.C. (Pre) 2001]

(a) U.S.A.
(b) Norway
(c) Sweden
(d) Canada

Correct Answer: (d) Canada

Solution:During the period this question was asked, Canada was the leading country for production and export of softwood and wood pulp. According to the World Food and Agriculture Statistical Yearbook-2023 (Data-2021) United States is the top wood pulp producing country with 49,685 Million Tonnes in 2021. Brazil, China, Canada, Sweden and Finland were at second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth place respectively.

20. Which one of the following countries is the largest 10 producer of fuelwood in the world? [I.A.S. (Pre) 1997]

(a) Indonesia
(b) Russia
(c) India
(d) China

Correct Answer: (c) India

Solution:According to data of FAO World Food and Agriculture Statistical Year Book 2023 (Data-2021) fuel wood production of the above countries is as follows- India (First), China (Second) and Brazil (Third).

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