Question 53
1. It is a tree species found in a part of South India.
2. It is one of the most important trees in the tropical rain forest areas of South India.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
AOptions
BSolution
With reference to 'Red Sanders':
1. It is a tree species found in a part of South India. This statement is correct. Red Sanders (Pterocarpus santalinus) is an endemic tree species found only in a specific region of the Eastern Ghats in South India, primarily in Andhra Pradesh (especially the Seshachalam hills, Veligonda, Lankamalai, and Palakonda hills) and a small part of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
2. It is one of the most important trees in the tropical rain forest areas of South India. This statement is incorrect. Red Sanders naturally grows in dry deciduous forests with rocky, degraded soils, not in tropical rainforests which are characterized by high rainfall and humidity. Its habitat is distinct from tropical rainforests.
Therefore, only statement 1 is correct.
CStrategy
When analyzing statements about specific plant or animal species, pay close attention to details regarding their endemicity, geographical distribution, and preferred habitat types (e.g., tropical rainforest, dry deciduous forest, desert). Generalizations can often be misleading.
DSyllabus Analysis
This question falls under the Environment and Ecology (Biodiversity) and Indian Geography (Forests) sections of the UPSC Prelims syllabus.
EQuestion Analysis
Medium. Requires specific knowledge about the habitat and distribution of Red Sanders.