Question
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?
Explanation
Statement I is incorrect: Despite their dense vegetation, tropical rainforest soils are actually poor in nutrients — heavy, incessant rainfall leaches away key minerals like potassium, calcium, and phosphorus, and the soil’s acidic nature further limits fertility.
Statement II is correct: The combination of high temperature and moisture does accelerate microbial activity, causing dead organic matter to decompose rapidly rather than accumulate as a nutrient-rich humus layer — which is precisely why the nutrients get recycled quickly into plants instead of building up in the soil.
Since Statement I is false but Statement II is true, the answer is Option D.