Q140. Which tree is characteristic of India’s tropical deciduous forests?
[RRB NTPC UG CBT-I (7 May 2026, Shift 2)]
(A) Mangrove
(B) Deodar
(C) Fir
(D) Teak
Answer: (D) Teak
Explanation: Teak is typical of monsoon forests that shed leaves during the dry season. Deodar and fir belong mainly to higher-altitude coniferous vegetation, whereas mangrove species thrive on tidal coasts exposed to saline or brackish water.
Q139. Which natural vegetation occupies the largest geographical area of India?
[RRB NTPC UG CBT-I (7 May 2026, Shift 1)]
(A) Mountain vegetation
(B) Dry thorn forests
(C) Tropical deciduous forests
(D) Tidal mangrove forests
Answer: (C) Tropical deciduous forests
Explanation: The extensive monsoon belt supports tropical deciduous vegetation across central and peninsular India. These forests occur in both moist and dry forms according to rainfall availability. Thorn, montane and tidal forests are regionally more restricted.
Q138. Which type of forest is commonly called a monsoon forest?
[Delhi Police Constable Executive (2 Jan 2026, Shift 1)]
(A) Tropical evergreen forest
(B) Tropical deciduous forest
(C) Thorn forest
(D) Mangrove forest
Answer: (B) Tropical deciduous forest
Explanation: Tropical deciduous forests are called monsoon forests because their growth closely follows the seasonal monsoon. They shed leaves when soil moisture declines, unlike evergreen forests. Teak and sal are important timber-producing species in this vegetation belt.
Q137. Which commercially important tree occurs in tropical evergreen forests?
[MP Police SI (18 Jan 2026, Shift 2)]
(A) Ebony
(B) Pine
(C) Bamboo
(D) Neem
Answer: (A) Ebony
Explanation: Ebony is a valued hardwood associated with humid tropical evergreen vegetation. These forests are generally dense and multilayered because high precipitation permits luxuriant plant growth. Pine predominantly represents coniferous vegetation at higher elevations.
Q136. Which state among the following is NOT characteristically associated with tropical thorn forests?
[MP Police SI (16 Jan 2026, Shift 1)]
(A) Madhya Pradesh
(B) West Bengal
(C) Rajasthan
(D) Gujarat
Answer: (B) West Bengal
Explanation: Thorn vegetation is associated with arid and semi-arid conditions, especially in Rajasthan, Gujarat and drier tracts of central India. West Bengal is predominantly more humid and includes major tidal mangrove and moist forest habitats.
Q135. Which tree species is especially associated with the Sundarbans mangrove ecosystem in West Bengal?
[DSSSB Court Attendant (3 Jun 2026, Shift 1)]
(A) Teak
(B) Deodar
(C) Rhododendron
(D) Sundari
Answer: (D) Sundari
Explanation: Sundari, scientifically Heritiera fomes, is an emblematic tree of the Sundarbans and provides durable hardwood. It grows in tidal swamp conditions. Teak prefers seasonal deciduous forests, while deodar and rhododendron belong to mountain vegetation.
Q134. For which type of natural vegetation are the Sundarbans famous?
[SSC GD Constable (22 May 2026, Shift 2)]
(A) Tropical evergreen forests
(B) Desert vegetation
(C) Mangrove forests
(D) Alpine meadows
Answer: (C) Mangrove forests
Explanation: The Sundarbans are famous for extensive mangrove forests along the Bay of Bengal. Salt-tolerant trees occupy intertidal mudflats and creeks. Specialized roots help the plants survive oxygen-poor soils and provide coastal protection.
Q133. Thorn forests and scrub occur where annual rainfall is generally below what amount?
[DSSSB Court Attendant (1 Jun 2026, Shift 1)]
(A) 70 cm
(B) 50 cm
(C) 150 cm
(D) 100 cm
Answer: (A) 70 cm
Explanation: Tropical thorn and scrub vegetation develops where rainfall is low, commonly below 70 centimetres annually. Plants conserve moisture through small leaves, thorns and deep root systems. It is widespread in arid northwestern parts of India.
Q132. What is the approximate annual rainfall range associated with tropical deciduous forests in India?
[MP Police SI (18 Jan 2026, Shift 1)]
(A) 70–200 cm
(B) Below 50 cm
(C) 200–400 cm
(D) 50–100 cm
Answer: (A) 70–200 cm
Explanation: Tropical deciduous forests broadly occur in regions receiving around 70 to 200 centimetres of annual rainfall. They divide into moist and dry forms. Unlike rainforests, their trees commonly shed foliage during the dry season to reduce transpiration.
Q131. Which kind of natural vegetation is also called taiga?
[RRB NTPC UG CBT-I (13 Jun 2026, Shift 3)]
(A) Mediterranean vegetation
(B) Coniferous forests
(C) Tropical grasslands
(D) Temperate deciduous forests
Answer: (B) Coniferous forests
Explanation: Taiga denotes the northern coniferous forest biome. Coniferous species such as pine and fir also occur in India’s Himalayan montane belts, although Indian mountain vegetation differs climatically from the vast boreal taiga of high latitudes.
